The Titan's Curse
by Artie Gallezi
Summary: Artie's past and origin as it unfolds during the quest to rescue Annabeth and Artemis.
1. Prologue

Artemis sat upon a wooden throne decorated with various pelts of animals, many of them no longer roaming the earth. The floor in front the goddess were silk rugs and pillows, should she decided to grant an audience or called a meeting with her Hunters. Her silver bow, carved so that it resembled a gazelle's horns, hung on a polished oak display behind the goddess. In the center, burning without wood or smoke, a golden brazier that kept the tent warm and comfortable. But none of this occupied nor concerned Artemis. She was preoccupied with a laptop, floating at the perfect height in front of her. She was typing on the computer's keyboard when Zoë Nightshade, lieutenant of the Hunters, entered and bowed before the goddess.

"My lady." greeted Zoë. "The Hunter have finished breaking camp. We await thy orders.

"I must really give Hermes credit." said Artemis. "This is groundbreaking."

"My lady?" queried Zoë.

"Oh, I'm merely remarking upon the ease Hermes has given me with this webpage."

"Ease with what my lady?"

The laptop floated in front Zoë. "Gaze upon TheHunt. god. Thanks to Hermes, I have an entire database of potential Hunters at my fingertips."

Zoë seemed confused. "But thy are a goddess, my lady. Did thy not already posses this?"

Artemis considered it for a moment, "I never gave much thought to something like this. Machines and this internet are more of Hermes and Hepheastus forte."

"I see."

"Plus this contraption has given me something to distract myself. I'm particularly found of DemiBook."

"Demibook?"

A page opened on the laptop for Zoë to see. "I believe a son of Hermes invented this. I think he calls a 'social network'. Of course Apollo had yo insisted on some trivial games. You can control a cartoon Demeter or Persephone and plant various kinds of crops. I think there is some sort of trivia game where you must answer questions given by Athena." Artemis rolled her eyes." You can guess the rest from there. I don't care for them much, though I find the cartoon depiction of myself oddly flattering. But my point, this page allows me or any of the other Olympians to see what the demigods are up to. For instance, it has made keeping track this one much easier.

A profile page opened and Zoë frowned when she saw who it belonged to her. "Artemis Raposo Gallezi. I haven't forgotten him."

"I hope not." said the goddess. "He did save your life."

"Only because he was foolish enough to endanger it in the first place." Zoë said respectfully, but firmly.

"That could be argued."

"His words, not mine my lady."

"Ah, I wasn't aware of that."

"My lady, may ask thee a question?" Zoë looked unsure if she should ask or not.

"Yes, Zoë?"

"If it is not too presumptuous, why do thee concern thyself with a single half blood? And a mere boy at that?"

The laptop floated back to Artemis. "Simply put? He intrigues me. He shows potential."

"Potential, my lady?"

Artemis nodded as she clicked through the demigod's history. "He managed to survive on his own in the wild for four years, pursued by the very monster that killed his family all over south and central America, before he reached Camp Half Blood. Then he embarks on a quest not two months later, with meager supplies and unarmed, crossing most of the country to reach Yellowstone National Park on foot. And after sustaining injuries when he dispatched Orion, he still finds the strength to carry you back to camp."

"Which thee rewarded him with a Hunter's bow." Zoë finished, trying hid the hint of bitterness in her voice.

Artemis raised an eyebrow "You disapprove of my decision?"

Zoë quickly shook her head, "No, my lady. But thee of all know the restrictions when using moonsilver weapons."

Artemis nodded. "I did warn him of the repercussions of moonsilver."

"And he still accepted it."

Artemis shrugged. "As long as he leads no maiden astray, he can continue to use the bow or any object made of moonsilver."

"Only if he possesses an incredible of self control." said Zoë. "And we both know that men aren't exactly known for that."

"He may surprise you." Artemis closed the laptop. "Have Phoebe gather the wolves to signal our arrival. We leave within the hour.

"As you command, Lady Artemis." Zoë bowed as he left. "It will be done."

Artemis watched her lieutenant leave, before glancing back at the laptop and thought to herself . _Would they be more understanding and accepting of you? If you were my daughter rather than my son?  
_


	2. Speak Of The Devil

A week before winter break, Percy's mother packed him an over night bag ad a few deadly weapons and took him to a new boarding school. She made a slight detour to pick up his close friends, Thalia and Annabeth. Together, with Percy's mother driving, made the eight hour drive to Bay Harbor, Maine. With every mile farther and farther north, sleet and snow pounded their car and the road without mercy. This not only made the road slick and dangerous, but combined with the reason for the journey no one said word. Except for Ms. Jackson, she tended to talk whenever she was nervous. So much so, that Percy was actually considering jumping out of a moving car during heavy blizzard to save himself from dying of embarrassment. Thalia and Annabeth only heard every other word or so, but couldn't help giggling every now and then.

"I never knew you could get diaper rash without wearing diapers." Thalia smiled, trying to hold back a laugh.

Annabeth giggled. "Something new everyday. Eh, Percy?"

Percy buried his head in his hands. "Uhhh."

"Its a lot more common than you think." Ms. Jackson said matter of factly. "And it can be confused easily with poison ivy. I learned that when Percy managed to crawl into a whole bush of — "

"MOM!" Percy shouted. "THE ROAD!"

She responded like most people would, and slammed on the brakes. However the mixture of snow and sleet made the road slick and slippery, so it was not surprising that the car began to slide and spin. Percy caught of glimpse of something gray and furry in the car's headlight, but lost it as the car's spin picked up speed. The car spun with so much force, Percy was sure that if he or anyone else had not been wearing their seat belts, they would have been thrown head over heels out a window. The car only rotated once, but continued sliding several yards. Luckily, the car had lost enough momentum that when it neared a large pine tree, the upraised roots prevented it from slamming into the tree and potentially harm both the car and its occupants.

"Is everyone alright?" Percy asked.

"Uh . . . I think so." grunted Annabeth.

Ms. Jackson rubbed her forehead "I've been through worse. Just give me a minute."

Thalia rubbed her shoulder where the seat belt had dug in. As she did, she gazed out the window, "We might not have a minute. Look!"

Annabeth and Percy adjusted to get a better view. The faint glow of the car's headlights was limited by the blizzard, but there was no doubt. Several creatures were lurking just out of the reach of the headlights. They began to creep closer and the demigods were only somewhat relived. These were not monsters, though that didn't make them any less dangerous. As they creeped closer, the car's occupants saw more and more of the creatures. They all had long bushy tails that were tipped with tufts of black fur. Their coat were a mix of gray and brown with buffy facial markings and undersides that looked grizzled to the dirt that clung to it. They might have been mistaken for German Shepherds, but these were far to large. Even the smallest one had a body that was four feet long with a two foot long tail. They continued to creep closer and closer to car, their combined growling sounding like a group of motorcycle engines revving. Percy, Thalia, and Annabeth all saw that they were mad as the first few came into clear view, sharp canines bared that they allowed them to rip through their victims like paper.

"Are those . . ." Ms. Jackson's voiced trailed off.

"Wolves." Thalia answered.

"Gray wolves to be exact." added Annabeth. "A full pack by the looks of it."

"And they looked pretty steamed." Percy remarked.

"Well, we did nearly hit them with a car." said Thalia.

"But it was an accident." Ms. Jackson defended.

"We know that, but they don't." Annabeth looked out at the pack surrounding the car. "As far they know, we just attacked them and they're responding in kind."

"Ms. Jackson, start the car." Thalia ordered. "Get us out of here."

Percy watched as his mother turned the ignition with trembling fingers. The engine roared to life, causing the wolves closest to the car to jump back and snarl. Ms. Jackson floored the accelerator only to have the car lurch forward a few inches before falling back. The car was stuck in the snow and the wolves were beginning to approach again, although more slowly this time.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked.

"The car's stuck." said Ms. Jackson. "We should be able to get it moving if we all got and pushed, but . . ."

"Forget this." Thalia undid her seat belt and reached to open the door.

"Are you crazy?" Annabeth demanded. "There's got to be two dozen of them out there."

"You'll be eaten alive." Percy told her.

Thalia tapped her bracelet. "I'm just gonna scare 'em off. Once they're gone, we can get the car out of the snow."

"But — " Annabeth began to say

Her words were lost as Thalia slammed the car door behind her. Thalia took out a mace canister from her pocket and pushed the top of it. Instantly a six foot spear sprang from it and she gripped it tightly. She locked eyes with the wolves and reached to tap her bracelet and release her shield, Aegis.

"I wouldn't do that." said a calm voice behind her. "They're scared enough as it is."

Quick as she could, Thalia whipped around and saw the owner of the voice. He looked to be about sixteen with scrawny build that made him look taller than he was. He wore a pair of gray jeans that tucked into a pair large snow boots. He wore a dark tanned leather jacket over a black sweater. His hands were protected by handmade leather gloves with the fingers missing to allow the use of one's fingers. On his head was a coonskin cap, caked with snow and ice from the blizzard. Thalia could not make out the stranger's face since he was wearing a black ski mask like a bank robber and sunglasses to conceal his eyes.

Thalia hefted her spear. "Who are you?"

The stranger casually leaned a against a tree. "Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask. "

Thalia rolled her eyes, "I'm not blind. I can see that."

The stranger smiled. "Of course you can. I'm not questioning your powers of observation; I'm merely remarking upon the paradox of asking a masked man who he is. "

Thalia cocked her head. "Paradox?"

The stranger rubbed his chin as he thought, "But on this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace sobriquet, to suggest the character of this dramatic persona."

Thalia tightened her grip on her spear. "Look buddy. Either to tell me who you are or you and your stupid sunglasses at night can take hike with your puppies."

"Very well." The stranger opened his arms dramatically like an actor on the stage. "Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished." He held up a finger and turned it into a fist as he spoke. "However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. "

"What are you talking about?" Thalia demanded.

The stranger held up two fingers, forming a 'V'. "A vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous." Then the stranger giggled and removed his cap as he bowed. "Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me — "

"Artie!" shouted Annabeth. "Stop quoting V for Vendetta and call off the dogs!"

Thalia turned to see Annabeth and Percy step out of the car. Percy tightly clutched Riptide and Annabeth her knife. Several wolves snapped their jaws at the weapons and growled angrily at the demigods.

"Oh, yeah." said the stranger as he pulled off the ski mask. "Sorry about that." Artie snapped his fingers.

The wolves stopped growling and obediently sat down. Some of the younger ones trotted up to the demigods and sniffed thier legs. Several arranged themselves and formed a rough perimeter, in case something should attack. The rest simply watched Artie, should he make more commands.

"_De todos os lugares a serem . . . _" Artie rubbed his face. "Why did it have to be this far north? I'm not built for this weather."

Thalia adjusted her grip on her spear. "Someone wanna explain what in the name of Hades is going on here?"

"That's right you two haven't exactly met." said Annabeth, walking up to Thalia. "Artie, this is Thalia. Thalia, this is Artie."

"So this is famous daughter of Zeus." Artie extended a hand. "_Prazer em conhecê-lo_."

"You too, I think." Thalia collapsed her spear and shook Artie's hand. "So you're name is Artie. Short for Arthur?"

Artie shook his head. "Short for Artemis."

Thalia's eyes grew wide. "As in the Artemis? The goddess of the hunt?"

"Just the name, though I prefer just Artie."

"Well just Artie." said Percy. "Thanks to your new pets, we're stuck."

Ms. Jackson stepped out of the car, "Percy? Is it safe to — "

She yelped as wolf snapped at her and growled as it bared its teeth.

"Hey!" Artie shouted and leveled a finger. "Keep that up and she's gonna have a new coat."

The wolf pined as it backed up and joined the rest of the pack.

"Sorry about that." Artie apologized. "They aren't exactly trained."

"Do you think they could help us move the car?" Annabeth asked. "Like Percy said, we're stuck."

Artie whistled to the wolves, "You heard the lady."

Together, with several wolves, the demigods pushed the car out of the snow as Ms. Jackson floored the accelerator. It took a lot of pushing and shoving, but they eventually got the car back on the road. Ms. Jackson insisted that Artie ride with them. Artie dismissed the wolf pack after thanking them for their help and squeezed in the back with Thalia and Annabeth, grateful to get out of the cold.

Artie shook the snow of his long hair, "I don't get it. What's so fun about snow? I mean, who actually likes losing all feeling in their face?"

"Its not that bad." said Thalia. "I've seen colder."

"Artie isn't really used to cold." Annabeth explained.

Artie rubbed his hands together. "We didn't exactly ski back in Rio."

"Rio? You mean Rio De Janerio?" Thalia wondered. "Brazil's capital?"

"Technically the capital is Brasilia." Artie began digging around inside his jacket. "Rio is like the New York City of Brazil. Everyone knows about New York City, but the capital is Albany."

"What exactly are doing here?" Ms. Jackson asked. "I thought you were in Miami. With your girlfriend if I remember."

Artie pulled out a bag of cookies. "Grover called me."

Annabeth looked confused. "Grover asked you to come this far north?"

Artie shook his head, "No. He just wanted some advice. Most winter survival stuff. Edible plants, how to make fire using wet wood, finding shelter during a blizzard. That sort of thing. I figured I should come and help, in case he ran into trouble."

"No offense, but what could you tell him that he couldn't find out in a book or something." Thalia asked.

Artie seemed not take offense as he opened a bag of cookies, "If there's two things I know, its movies and survival. And I don't think Grover would have wasted a drachma to discuss the later half of Steven Spielberg's career."

"Get used to the movie references, Thalia." said Percy. "Artie seen enough movies that nothing he says is ever original."

"I try not to boast." Artie bit down on a cookie. "Cookie?"

Thalia took one, "Thanks."

Artie held out the bag, "Annabeth?"

"Those aren't cookies." said Annabeth. "They're cat biscuits."

Thalia paused, a questionable cookie an inch from her mouth. "What?"

Artie paused and looked at the bag, "You mean these aren't fish flavored cookies?"

"Look at the bag." Annabeth pointed at the bag.

Artie popped one his mouth. "I swear this dyslexia is a huge pain in the neck."

"There's a cartoon cat eating fish on the front." Percy pointed out.

"Well, coco puffs has a bird." Artie reached for another. "and yet I don't see people stuffing their bird feeders with the stuff."

"He's got a point there." said Percy.

"He's also still eating them." Thalia noticed.

Artie crumpled the now empty bag, "Seems kinda pointless to stop after I've eaten most of them on the way here. Plus I like fish."

An hour later they reached Westover Hall. Artie was surprised how much it looked like an evil knight's castle. It was made of all black stone, with towers and slit windows. All was missing was a huge stone wall and moat to keep possible marauding armies at bay. It sat on a snowy cliff side with a thick forest one side and the gray churning ocean on the other.

"Percy, are you sure you don't want me to wait?" Ms. Jackson asked, sounding concerned.

"No thanks, Mom." Percy assured. "We don't know how long we'll take."

"But how will you get back? I'm worried, Percy."

"It's okay Ms. Jackson." assured Annabeth. "We'll keep him out of trouble."

"All right dears," she said. " Do you have everything you need?"

"I could use a space heater." Artie said rubbing his hands together.

Thalia rolled her eyes at Artie. "Yes, Ms. Jackson. Thanks for the ride."

"Extra sweaters? You have my cell phone number?"

"Mom — "

"Your nectar and ambrosia, Percy? And a golden a drachma in case you need to contact camp?"

"Mom, seriously! We'll be fine. Come on guys."

Once out of sight of the car, Thalia said. "Your mom is so cool, Percy."

"She's pretty okay." Percy admitted. "What about you? You ever got in touch with your mom?"

Percy flinched at the look Thalia gave him. She was already adept in giving evil looks. And when combined with the puck clothes she always wore — the ripped up army jacket, black leather pants and chain jewelry, the black eye liner, and those intense blue eyes — the look she gave Percy would have been an 'Ten' easy.

"If that was any of your business, Percy — "

"Shh!" hissed Artie.

"No!" Thalia protested. "He needs to — "

"Shh!" Artie hissed again. "Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make."

"Dracula, right?" Percy asked, rolling his eyes.

"The 1931 version." Artie answered. "Its faint with all this wind, but I definitely hear wolves."

"Friends of yours?" Annabeth offered.

"No, these sound different." Artie tilted his head. "More refined and in synch."

"What are they saying?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia looked confused "You can understand ani — "

"Shh!"

"If you shush me one more time I'll — "

"Shh!" hissed Percy.

Thalia shot him a look.

"You said if he did." he argued. "You didn't say anything about me."

Artie did his best to ignore them and hear over the wind. He closed his eyes and strained his ears. "It sound like a warning. I think they're saying, Beware . . . all those who hunt . . . the mistress and her pack . . . seek prey."

"Whats that supposed to mean?" Thalia asked.

"No idea." Artie answered.

"Could it mean Lycaon?" offered Annabeth. "The forest seems the perfect place for a pack of werewolves."

"We're about to enter what could be Dracula's castle and now there's a pack of werewolves." Percy sighed. "Should I call Frankenstein? I'd hate to leave the big guy out."

"No. I don't think they mean that. Lycaon is a man. Unless I heard wrong, they're warning against a woman." Artie chuckled. "And Frankenstein was the scientist, the monster was never given an actual name."

"I'll be sure to right that down." said Percy.

Artie looked out into the forest. "Best I stay out here. In case this mistress decides to drop by."

"That might be a good idea." Annabeth adjusted her coat. "In case we walk into a trap."

"Are you sure?" Thalia asked, looking somewhat concerned. "I mean, you have weapons right?"

A long bow sprung from the silver ring on his left ring finger. "You could say that."

"I guess I don't have to tell you that if you see this mistress or whatever, don't just jump in." Annabeth warned. "Try not to make things difficult."

"Well more than they already are." Percy added.

"I don't make things difficult." Artie assured. "That's the way they get, all by themselves."

"Lethal Weapon?" Thalia guessed.

Artie simply smiled and walked to the forest. They all watched as he was joined by Tobias, who dove from the sky and settled on Artie's shoulder. It was seconds later they lost Artie in the shadows of the forest, no doubt finding a good ambush spot high in the tree's thick foliage.

"We'd better get inside." said Annabeth."Grover will be waiting."

Thalia looked up at the castle and shivered. "You're right. I wonder what he found here that made send the distress call."

Percy looked up at the dark towers of Westover Hall. "Nothing good I bet."

Despite the bone chilling cold, Artie's mind was a million miles away. Truth be told, if Grover hadn't accidentally sent him an iris message instead of the real Artemis, he would looked for any excuse to go tramping through the wilderness. Upon returning from Circe's Isle, Artie had found himself unable to control himself emotionally and physically. He was beginning to think it was a mistake not to stay at Camp Half Blood year round. Within the first month of returning to Miami to live with Appolonia and her family, he had two examples that he was right. He had thrown a student that Appolonia was tutoring in Spanish out the kitchen window for trying to kiss her. He sent a purse snatcher to the emergency room when he made the mistake of picking Appolonia for a target as they walked along the beach. It wasn't the fact he did all these things that bothered, it was the fact he didn't feel the least bit guilty. In his mind, the kid that tried to kiss Appolonia knew that she was with him and still tried something, maybe that didn't warrant being thrown through a glass window but he refused to admit he was wrong when he knew he wasn't. The same with purse snatcher. He could have easily caught up with him and take the purse back and let the police handle it. But instead he caught him, broke his arm in three place when he tried to fight him off, and slammed him hard on the unforgiving concrete that gave him a major concussion and a couple broken ribs.

Appolonia grew evermore concerned with each incident and tried everything she could to help him curve his instincts. After two months of searching, only two things seemed to have an effect. A mixture of meditation and large amounts of food. Together they had noticed Artie was more himself after he had a full stomach. The problem was the huge amounts required to do so. He had to step up his weekly hunting trips into everglades, often making multiple trips in and out to bring his kills home. Appolonia had also suggested, annoyingly insisted he preferred to think, that he take up meditation. He found it surprisingly helpful and easy to do. He made a habit every night, or after any large meal, to sit on the tree stump in the backyard and simply empty his mind. Appolonia had taken out several medical journals on the subject and learned that meditation was used to increase calmness and physical relaxation, but more importantly for him, to improve psychological balance. That last part was crucial for Artie. The more controlled and relaxed he was, purse snatchers everywhere would sleep easier.

All this went through Artie's mind as he munched on the last of his rations, A piece of venison jerky the size of a t-rex steak and a thermos of luke warm coffee he kept at his belt. He found something stuck in his throat, and it wasn't the jerky. He had lied to his friends when he said he knew nothing of the mistress and her pack. He had learned she went by many names and mistress was simply what predatory animal called her. Her pack were simply the name the wolves gave to her followers. He tried to put it out of his mind as adjusted himself on a bough of the tree he was perched on so he wouldn't fall off. He crossed his legs and closed his eyes. He took deep calming breaths, the cold air stinging his lungs, and cleared his mind. Despite his best efforts, his mind kept coming back to the mistress and what that possibly meant for him and his friends, should she show herself to them.

He still remembered the day he first heard that name.

* * *

_**(ARTIE : AGE EIGHT - NEARLY EIGHT YEARS PREVIOUSLY )**  
_

_He had been running for hours, half blinded by tears and the jungle's thick foliage. He didn't know which way he was running or even cared. All he wanted, was to put as much distance between him and Rio. He made no attempt to cover his tracks in the wet mud or payed attention to the noise he was making crashing through plants and snapping branches in his wake. It was near midnight, the moon and stars provided the only light, when a storm began to awake. The chilling rain only made it more difficult to see and combined with the thunder and lightning of the storm, panic once gain over took him. He looked back to see if IT had found him. He was so busy looking behind, searching for anything that indicate he was being pursued, an upraised root of a tree caught his foot and sent him splashing into the mud. He pushed himself up, coughing and spitting out that covered most of his front, on thick log. Then the log started move, or began to slither to be more exact. He heard a slight hiss and turned, finding himself face to face with a local of the jungle. This native had a tube like body that was eight feet long and several inches thick. Artie guessed it be an anaconda, but it was simply a full grown boa constrictor, not that made it any less dangerous. The boa opened its mouth revealing massive jaws lined with small, hooked teeth for grabbing and holding prey, and struck. He fell back, tripping over the boa's long body. He crawled backwards on his rear end as it closed in. The boa reared back as he felt something long and club like under his hand. He closed his eyes and swung the branch as hard he could. He felt it make contact and opened his eyes to see the boa shaking its head. He continue backing up till he came against a tree. He saw the boa was rearing back again to strike. He felt the boa connect with tree below him as he made a mad and desperate scramble to higher ground. He looked down to see the boa locked eyes with him and slither away. He watched it disappear into the forest and breathed a sigh of relief. That was when he felt something wrapping around his wrist. He looked up and saw a jaraca, a venomous viper native to southern Brazil. It hissed at him, brandishing its long need like fangs. Instinctively, he threw himself back to get away and forgetting he was ten feet off the ground. He plummeted and landed with a hard crash, the wet mud doing nearly nothing to cushion his landing._

_He just laid where he landed, the storm beginning to swell, and cried. _

_He wanted to be back in his bed. He wanted to be safe. He wanted to be warm. But most of all, he wanted his mother. He knew he was being punished, and his family had paid for it. But he didn't know what exactly was being punished for. He was just an eight year old child. He hadn't killed anyone or anything. He didn't treat anyone badly or bullied anyone. The most he was guilty of was sneaking into the movie theater with his brother when they didn't have the money to properly buy tickets. His sobbing was interrupted by a loud splash by his head. He rolled the side and got to his feet. It was a small backpack. It was such a bright shade of silver, it almost seemed to glow in lack of light. He saw that it had a note pinned to it. With trembling fingers he snatched and unfolded the note. On it, written in bright silvery ink, were three simple words._

**_FOLLOW THE BIRD_**

_A screech caused him to look north. Perched on a branch overlooking a mouth of a cave, was a hawk. Unless he was seeing things, the hawk seemed to be motioning for him to pick up th pack. He folded the note and carefully picked up the pack. The hawk screeched again, now motioning for him to enter the cave. He wasn't sure if he should obey or not, but it was the only option he had unless he wanted to stay out in the rain. He entered the cave, slowly should something be waiting for him. With each step the cave grew darker and darker. He wasn't sure what the hawk wanted him to do, then a thought came to him. He swung the pack dug through it until he felt something long tube like. He turned on the flashlight and looked around. It looked like what it was, a cave. There were patched of moss on parts of walls and water dripped from the stalactites overhead onto little patches of mushrooms. He swung the flashlight and saw a pair of jaguar cubs watching him with curiosity. The flashlight trembled in his hands. He knew enough that if these were the cubs, then thier mother couldn't be that far. He turned to leave when he froze like a statue._

_No more than four inches from his face, was a full grown female jaguar. And judging by the growling and snarling, it was not happy to see him._

_He screamed as it pounced, missing by hairsbreadth when he leaped forward. He scrambled to his feet as looked back at the jaguar snarling and readied itself to punce again. He bolted for the mouth of the cave, he could easily be killed by something else out in the jungle, but with an angered mother jaguar on your tail, best to take things one at a time as they came. He was five feet from the mouth when he was yanked back, the jaguar had caught his pack._

_He slipped through the straps and kept running, screaming at the top of his lungs. "Ajuda! Ajuda! Alguém! Qualquer! Por — "_

_The cries for help were forced back in his mouth when he felt a giant weight slam him hard against the ground. He could feel razor sharp claws piercing both his shirt and skin. He could also hear deep growling and snarling a foot above his head. He struggled to breath, both from the weight on his back and the fact he was about to be eaten. He began to sob and whimper,pleading for help of any kind, when he felt its warm moist breath on the nape of his neck and the its teeth tickle the side of his head._

_"Pare!" ordered a voice, or at least it seemed like voice. To Artie's ear it sounded like the screech of a hawk, but it sounded like voice in his head._

_Artie, out of the corner of his eye, saw it was the hawk that lead him to the cave. Then something even stranger than a hawk talking happened, the jaguar began to speak. Again to his ear, it just sounded like growling and snarling, but he heard words in his head._

_"This is my prey, bird." said the jaguar in perfect Portuguese._

_"That boy is under the protection of the Mistress." the hawk told her, also in perfect Portuguese. "He is not to be harmed."_

_"You lie!" snarled the jaguar. "Her protection is only meant for her followers. This mancub is male."_

_"She has plans for this one." said the hawk. "Do you dare challenge her orders?"_

_The jaguar considered it for a moment, but said, "No. None may challenge her and her kind."_

_"Then release him."_

_The jaguar took her weight and flipped Artie over like rag doll. Instantly he began crawling back until his back hit the wall of the cave. Artie watched as the jaguar made its way to him, but rather than eat and kill him, she simply licked him and sniffed him. He wasn't sure what was happening, but knew enough he was being spared._

_"You can understand me?" asked the giant cat._

_Unable to form words, Artie nodded._

_"Then you're not to leave this cave." she ordered. "Am I understood?"_

_"B-b-b-but — "_

_She bared her teeth and growled. "Am. I. Understood?"_

_He nodded again._

_"Good." she huffed. "I must hunt. My cubs need to eat, especially now and I have another mouth to feed."_

_Artie watched her leave a disappear into the jungle, the sun just beginning to rise over the horizon , just as the storm began to cease. The hawk hopped forward until it was at his feet. Artie wasn't sure how, but this bird had saved his life._

_"W-w-w-who are you?" he asked his savoir._

_"The Mistress appointed me as your watcher." said the bird._

_"Watcher?" he asked._

_"Yes, I am to aid and guide where I can."_

_"Can you guide me home?"_

_"You are home."_

_"Here?"_

_"This has always been your home."_

_"Its not safe for me here. You saw what happened, whats to stop that from happening again? I belong with people. With my fam — " He stopped himself. "I don't belong here."_

_"It is far safer here for you than it is back in your old home. That creature that attacked you and your family will not give up in his pursuit for you."_

_"Why? What did I do?"_

_"Only the Mistress knows for certain. Since you can not go back, you are left with two choices. Either learn the ways of wild and survive or give up and wait for it to find and kill you."_

_"And you're here to teach me?"_

_"Yes, as well as her Mistress's other subjects."_

_"You keep saying that, Mistress. Who is she?"_

_"She the Hunter of all hunters. All her subjects, from the smallest rabbit to the mightiest bear, understand and obey her will as long they live in her domain."_

_"Can I see her?"_

_"If she deems it necessary or the will strikes her. Until then, you must wait."_

_"Well, since we're gonna be stuck together here for a while, can you tell me your name?"_

_"I am known to your kind as the Red Tailed Hawk. Other than that, I have no name."_

_"You mind If I call you Tobias?"_

_"Why Tobias?"_

_Artie shrugged, "I saw a hawk with the same name in a movie once."_

_Tobias seemed to smile, "Very well. Now I suggest you search that bag the Mistress saw fit to grant you. There should be some tools your kind tend to — "_

* * *

Artie was jerked out of his trance as Tobias pinched him with his beak. Artie saw were Tobias was pointing. Four figures had passed under his tree and were walking deeper and deeper into the forest. He sniffed the air and immediately found Percy's scent, but not Annabeth's or Thalia's. What he found instead was two different scents. The first belonged to the figures next to Percy, a mixture of fear and rotting meat. The second . . .

He knew this scent . . . it belonged to . . .

Claws sprouted from Artie's hands, "_Fale do diabo_."

Tobias chirped a warning.

Artie shot him a look, "Not today, Tobias. I've waited too long. Screw the armor."

With that, he followed Percy and his captor. Silently leaping from tree to tree, he savored the suspense as he waited and bided his time until the perfect time to strike. One way or another, he would have his revenge.

* * *

_**A/N**_ - _**I have certain chapters, like this one for example, already written which should explain why this update seems early. This means that time between updates will be a little off, instead of my usual one at the end of the week. Its mostly due to me jumping the gun a little and writing Titan's Curse during my 'breaks'. So basically, one certain chapter you could be waiting the usual week or only a day or two.**_


	3. Family Reunion

Artie, silently and without shaking even thinnest branch, kept Percy and the other two children in sight as he leaped from tree to tree. Luckily for him, the forest outside of Westover Hall was thick enough to do this with relative ease. And should he find himself needed, or grew tired of waiting, he had the perfect ambush point. As he followed, Artie wondered about the two other children that were at Percy's right and left. The girl had a floppy green hat that hid her face, so Artie could not get an accurate picture of her. He could catch small details like her olive skin and silky dark hair. Judging from her lean and her about average height, Artie guessed her to be close to twelve, possibly a year older or younger. The boy, her brother he guessed, looked similar. He had the same olive skin as the girl, though his hair was much more messy and shaggy, but was dark brown-black rather than pure black like his sister. He assumed the boy was the younger of the two, roughly ten years old. Both of them had a scent he found odd, a mixture of fear and rotting meat. Though he didn't knoq their names, they were Bianca and Nico Di Angelo. The very demigods that caused Grover to send the distress signal.

"There is a clearing up ahead." IT said. "We will summon your ride."

Artie's ears piked up that word 'clearing'. It was perfect, he may not be as defenseless as he once was, but this still required some planning and a large amount of space. He didn't have his moonsilver bolo knives anymore, they had broken during his trip to the Underworld to help Percy retrieve Zeus's masterbolt, and he couldn't use his bow in close combat. He also didn't want the other two to get hurt. He picked up the pace and headed for the clearing. As he did, Artie left a few things behind along the path they walked. Things he wouldn't need, like his an empty coffee thermos and his coonskin cap. To anyone else, it would like trash someone had left behind, but Artie hoped Percy would notice and get the message that he was nearby and ready to strike. But Percy was too busy using his empathy link to call Grover for help as IT herded them forward to the clearing.

_Grover!, _Percy concentrated. _Apples! Tin cans! Get your furry behind out here and bring some heavily armed friends._

"Halt!" IT called.

The forest had finally opened up. They had reached a cliff overlooking the sea, though Percy could only sense the sea. He could hear the waves crashing below and smell the salt in the air, but all he could see was mist and darkness. IT edged the demigods to the edge. Percy stumbled and the girl caught him.

"Thanks." Percy murmured.

"What is he?" she whispered. "How do we fight him?"

"I'm . . . I'm working on it."

"I'm scared." said the boy, fiddling with a metal figurine of some kind.

"Enough talking!" IT took out a walkie talkie. "The package is ready to deliver." There was a garble response, "Good. Make sure that — "

Suddenly an arrow struck the radio, taking it out of the monster's hand and sending it far over the cliff side.

IT, and the demigods looked where the arrow had flown from. There was Artie, another arrow already aimed, standing in the middle of the clearing.

"_Sido um longo tempo_", said Artie.

IT took a slight step back, "You . . ."

"Percy, take those two and get out of here." ordered Artie. "I'll handle this myself."

"They will st— " IT began to say.

Artie loosed the arrow. The second the arrow left the bow Artie collapsed his bow and readied himself to run. He watched the arrow fly toward the monster, only for him to snatch it out of the air.

IT twirled the arrow like a baton, "Playing with toys, boy? You've grown soft."

Then the arrow began to beep rapidly before IT was engulfed in ball of smoke and fire. Percy had the presence of mind to drive the Di Angelos to floor. He pulled them to their feet as a blur flew past him. Though he wanted to help, Percy's first priority was to get the Di Angelos to safety, and surprisingly it was Artie's as well. The monster coughed as it cleared the smoke. No sooner than he could see, he was blinded again. This time by a slash across the face by Artie's claws. The monster roared in pain, stomping around and holding his face. Artie drew another arrow as he gave himself room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Percy and the Di Angelos race to edge of the clearing where the forest began. He frowned at their progress and fired an arrow at the monster's feet, a large net exploding the arrow's head and entangling its legs. He collapsed his bow and readied his claws. After an arrow like that, his quiver needed time to cool down. He glanced back Percy who drew Riptide, the Di Angelos poorly hid by some snow covered bushes, and turn around.

"_Disse a você para tirá-los daqui_!" He shouted at him. "This is my fight."

"BEHIND YOU!"

Artie glanced back and saw something long and sharp speeding towards his head. Instinctively, he brought up his arms to ward off the projectile. The spike buried itself in his left forearm with such force, it flipped him head over heals before he landed on the ground. Percy ran to him, praying that one of his friends wasn't dead because he distracted him.

"Artie!" he kneeled by as Artie came to shaking his head. "Are you alright."

"Peachy." Artie pulled out the thorn from his bracer and got to his feet.

The monster just gaped. "Impossible! That should have killed you."

Artie rolled up his sleeves, revealing his moonsilver enforced bracers and gauntlets. "Not as soft as you think."

"We need a plan." said Percy.

Artie drew an arrow,"Here's mine."

"Artie, we don't even know what Thorn i — "

The words were lost in the wind as Artie fired and charged. Thorn responded with a volley of thorns, one of which collided with Artie's arrow. The sudden impact detonated the explosive, scattering the rest of the thorns and creating a thick black cloud of smoke. Thorn watched for any sign of movement in the cloud. Then suddenly something flew out to the left, carrying some of the smoke with it. Thorn instantly fired a volley, only to see his thorns pin a leather jacket to the floor. Thorn saw through the trick, adjusting his aim to the right, or so he thought. No sooner than his sight went right, two arrows emerged from the cloud to his left. One buried itself in Thorn's knee, sending down on it, and the other found his elbow. Thorn bellowed in pain and rage, as he changed. Percy saw Thorn grow larger and fiercer. His hand morphed into giant paws, like those of a lion, with claws he was eager to use. A long and wicked looking tail came into view, the source of his deadly projectiles. His growling became deeper and more menacing as his teeth grew longer and sharper, reminding Percy of shark teeth. Thorn roared he pulled the arrows from his limbs. He began firing madly into the cloud, hoping to hit Artie by chance. Percy opened his shield, a gift from his brother Tyson, just as Artie rolled backward out of the cloud. Artie narrowly avoid the volley, nocked another arrow, and fired.

"Let me help!" Percy demanded. "You're just making him mad."

Artie was about to tell Percy off, when he shoved him out of the way. Percy saw Thorn strike with his spiked tail so fast that even Artie could not dodge it in time. All Artie could do from being skewered was catch it, the force driving him onto the cold snow on the floor. Artie dug in his claws and held the spike only inches from face, the muscles in his arms screaming in unified protest as Thorn continued to apply more force.

Percy stood up and readied to charge when Thorn warned him, "One step and this boy dies sooner and slower rather than later and far quicker."

"Don't listen to him, Percy." said Artie with a grim a smile. "If he could kill me, he would have done it eight years ago."

Thorn responded by loading a fresh thorn which was an inch from Artie's throat. "My apologies, I had no idea you were so eager."

Percy was having a hard time thinking of an attack strategy. He was too far to use Riptide and Thorn would have all the time in the world to kill Artie by the time he got in range. He might have a chance if he had some sort of ranged weapon and the talent to use it or at very least have Thorn attack him instead, but he suspect even Annabeth would have trouble coming up with a viable plan. Artie was having a difficult time thinking as well, mostly because he was occupied trying to ignore the massive burning in his arms trying keep Thorn's tail from skewering him like a kabob. The other part of his brain was busy cursing his lack of strength. He was sure even the weakest child of Ares could easily find the power to escape.

"You're not wrong, you know." said a rough voice to his right. "I'm even willing to bet they could do it with a broken arm."

Artie was so surprised he momentarily forgot what he was doing and let Thorn's tail gain a few centimeters. To his right, laying next to him in the snow with his arms behind his head, was Leonidas the Hero King of Sparta. Artie knew this was not the real Leonidas. Everything from his scarred bearded face to his bronze armor and weapons, was simply a product of Artie's subconscious. Artie hadn't seen or heard from Leonidas since he revealed his true identity earlier that year, when he and his friends landed on Circe's Isle.

"I'm not distracting you, am I?" he asked innocently.

Artie rolled his eyes.

"You do remember I know what your thinking?" Leonidas raised an eyebrow. "I'm still you. Only more . . . what's the word? . . . ah, better."

Artie through his head back, his arms trembling and becoming nonresponsive.

"As much as I'm enjoying this, no, I did not come here to mock you." he said in response to Artie's unasked question. "I'm here to remind you that sometimes it takes an animal to defeat another animal."

Artie shot him a look.

Leonidas shrugged, "The reason I'm being cryptic is because you want me to."

Artie bared his teeth, trying not scream as he begun to reach his limit.

Leonidas scratched his chin, "What I mean is this, you can't win this fight in your current state, but _Lutar_ can."

Artie glanced at Percy.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about him." said Leonidas. "He can take care of himself. He is a child of Poesiden after all." he scratched his chin as he thought. "Worst case scenario, he gets in the way again and you give him a few scars which might help his chances with the ladies, we both know your girl likes yours even if she won't admit it."

Artie shot him another look.

"We can debate that later." Leonidas said. "Now, I suggest you make up your mind. Either take my advice or spend the rest of eternity in the Underworld."

Artie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Percy, run."

Leonidas clapped. "About time."

Percy shook his head, "I'm not leaving you here to die."

Artie breathed out calmly and took another breath. "I have plan and I need to you to get away from me."

Thorn laughed, "And what is your plan? Regale me, boy"

"Since I know you can't resist, I suggest you quote Poltergeist if you have the chance." chuckled Leonidas as he faded from sight.

Artie released his breath and smiled, the burning in his muscles beginning to lessen. "Since you won't take 'Go to hell' for an answer, I have one thing left to do."

"Which is?" sneered Thorn, responding how Artie knew he would.

Artie's eyes flew open, glowing red. "I'm gonna give you directions."

Percy saw Artie not only begin to push Thorn's tail away, but snapped it loudly like a fraile branch where he held it. Thorn roared as he fired a thorn. In the blink of an eye, Artie moved so the thorn missed, adjusted his grip, and slammed down hard with his wrist and broke Thorn's tail even further. Thorn snarled and slashed his paw, only to catch air as Artie rolled backward. Not a second after his feet touched the ground, Artie pounced forward with a feral snarl. He missed as well as Thorn reared back on his hind legs. From there they continued trading blows, nether side willing to give the slightest inch despite any and all wounds. Artie snarled and growled like a wild animal, often dropping to all fours to pounce and dodge. But throughout all of the chaos, it was a rough stalemate. Thorn was far to large and slow to deliver anything but the occasional strike. Artie was of the opposite end. He might be able to give four injuries for everyone one of Thorn's, but his claws and teeth only left small shallow wounds compared the deep gashes he received on his chest, arms, and back. All which bled profusely, staining the tattered remains of his clothes and snow at his feet.

"A manticore!" shouted Annabeth, forgetting to remove her invisibility cap.

Percy jumped, "Jeez, don't do that."

"Where were you?" Annabeth shimmered into view just as Thalia and Grover arrived. "We couldn't find you."

"Oh no, oh dear." Grover began to shake in terror. "Not good. This is not good."

"_Di immortales." _Annabeth gulped. "I always thought you made it sound worse than it was."

Grover made a claws hand over his heart, "Mr.D isn't here to stop him this time.

Thalia brandished her spear, "Percy? whats going on?"

"I have no idea." Percy admitted. "One second Thorn was about to push us off a cliff and the next Artie saves us. He kept Thorn busy while I got the Di Angelos away."

"Where are they?" asked Grover.

Percy pointed with Riptide. "They're hiding in some bushes over there."

Thalia looked, "Alright. Atleast you did something right. Come on, Artie needs help."

"NO!" Annabeth and Grover said together.

"What?" Thalia demanded. "Look at him, he can't beat that thing on his own."

"Thalia, Artie isn't Artie right now." said Grover.

"You lost me." said Percy.

"Ditto." agreed Thalia.

"Percy, remember the reason why Artie doesn't participate in Capture the flag?" Annabeth asked him.

"Sure," Percy answered. "Because he nearly killed . . . oh. Yeah, Grover's right. This is not good."

"Did I miss something?" Thalia growled.

Annabeth glanced at the fight, "Short version, like a mad animal Artie can't distinguish between friend and foe right now."

"You're kidding me."

Grover shook his head, "The last time this happened, he nearly killed three Ares campers."

"Alright, so how do we snap him out of it?"

"I don't know," said Grover. "If we can restrain him, we can keep him that way until he calms down."

Percy looked at Artie, "And how exactly do we do that? You see how fast he is? He can run laps around us in his sleep."

"We could knock him out." Annabeth suggested. "Though I'm not sure how."

"We might not have to." Thalia glanced at Artie's wounds, "He's lost a lot of blood."

"Yeah, its perfect. We just need to time it right" agreed Annabeth. "Artie's tired him out. All we have to do is jump in once the blood loss takes it toll."

"Are you sure?" asked Percy."I'm not a doctor, but I'm sure you want to keep as much blood in you as much you can."

Grover pulled a plastic bag, "I have some ambrosia. Once he's out, I can feed it to him. That should be enough to heal him, blood and all."

Thalia looked uneasy, "I don't like it, but if Artie is dangerous as you say he is then I guess we don't have much of choice. Still, be ready. By the looks of it, he's about ready to drop."

"Artie or Thorn?" asked Percy.

"Both of them." said Annabeth.

It was true. Thorn and Artie locked eyes, each knowing the other did not have much left in him. Thorn's tail was bent a strange angles, broken in several places, and was bleeding so heavily it ran down and dripped onto the floor. The rest of his body was covered in dozens upon dozens small gashes and punctures, courtesy of Artie's teeth and claws. His knee and elbow twitched whenever he moved them, Artie had not given him the chance to remove them. Artie fared no better, worse if anything. His breathing was severely labored, only stopping when he paused to spit out a globule of blood. His clothes clung to him in blood soaked tatters. The only parts of his body that had remain unscathed were his forearms, protected by his moonsilver bracers and gauntlets. The rest of his body were covered in either deep gashes from Thorn's claws and from narrowly missed projectile thorns, many of which littered the floor or were embedding in the tree surrounding the clearing.

Suddenly, a horn blew from deep within the forest, a clear piercing sound followed by the howling of wolves.

This was enough to distract Artie and it was all Thorn needed. He turned around and whipped his tail as hard as he could. Artie heard it whistle through the air just as he felt it crash into his chest. He felt his body go weightless and lift off the ground. His friends watched him bounce twice on the ground before a tree, suddenly and brutally, stop him from going further. The tree shook from the force and emptied its branches of ice and snow onto Artie as he collapsed at the base of the trunk.

"Not what we planned on, but I'll take it." Thalia opened her shield. "For Zeus!"

They all followed Thalia as she charged. Grover took out a pair of reed pipes as Annabeth shimmered from view. And Percy brought up the rear armed with Riptide. Thalia jabbed and jabbed at Thorn's head with her spear, but Thorn snarled and swatted it aside. His claws sparked as they collided with her shield when slashed with them. As it was, she managed to roll backward and and on her feet. Thorn launched a volley which also bounced of Aegis, but it was enough to knock Thalia down. Grover sprang forward, putting his reed pipes to his lips. He began to play a frantic jig as his fingers danced over the holes and grass broke through the snow, tangling around Thron's feet and rooting him in place. Thorn roared in annoyance and tore the magic weeds to shred with his claws. He then snarled as he let loose another volley at the demigods. Percy ducked behind his shield in the nick of time, the thorns impacting with enough force to dent the shield and destroying the delicate picture Tyson had painted on it. Then, with a thwack and a yelp, Grover landed in the snow next to Percy.

"Yield!" roared Thorn.

"Never!" Thalia yelled as she charged.

She probably would have ran Thorn through, but suddenly there was thunderous noise and a blinding blaze of light from the cliff side. It was a military grade helicopter, hovering just beyond the cliffs, and armed with the latest military grade weaponry. This included the standard machines mounted on either wing and laser guided missles. But it was the searchlight that blinded Thalia, allowing Thorn to swat her away with his broken tail. Her shield flew off into the snow and her spear in the other direction. Percy ran to her and parried a spike that would have hit her chest. He brought up his shield to protect them both, but he knew it would not be enough.

Thorn laughed, blood running down his chin from one his wounds. "You see how hopeless it is? Yield!"

"I could not have said it better myself," said a voice.

"No!" Thorn said. "It cannot be — "

Thorns words were cut short as something shot past Percy like a streak of moonlight. A silver arrow sprouted from Thorn's shoulder as he stepped back and wailed in agony. He let loose a massive volley into the woods where the arrow came from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. It was almost as if the arrows had intercepted the thorns midair and sliced them in half, but Percy was sure that no one, not even the children of Apollo, could be so accurate. Percy was sure it was Artie, back in control, with his magic quiver. Then archers emerged from the woods. They were all girls, about a dozen of them. The youngest roughly ten and the eldest lookign close to fourteen. They wore silvery ski parkas and were all armed with bows. Bows, that Percy could helped but notice, that resembled Artie's in color and sheen. They advanced on Thorn with determined expressions.

"The Hunters!" cried Annabeth.

Thalia muttered to herself, "Oh, wonderful."

One of the elder archers stepped forward with her bow drawn. She was tall and graceful with coppery colored skin. Unlike the other girls, she had a circelet of silver braided into the the top of her long dark hair, so she looked like a princess. And with the she carried herself, it would have surprised Percy if she was or came from royalty.

"Permission to kill my lady?" she asked, though she kept her eyes on Thorn.

Thorn wailed like a spoiled child. "This is not fair! Direct interference is against the ancient laws."

A younger girl, possibly twelve or thirteen, stepped forward. If Percy didn't know better, he would have sworn he had met her before, or met a close relative of hers. She had silver streaked auburn hair gathered back in a pony tail. Her eyes were strange and familiar to Percy. Like one of his friends, they glowed a bright silver in the moonlight. Her face was so beautiful it made Percy catch his breath, but her expression was stern and dangerous.

"Not so." she answered. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the one with the circlet. "Zoë, permission granted."

Thorn growled, "If I cannot have these demigods alive, then I shall have them dead."

He lunged for Percy and Thalia since he knew they were still dazed and Artie was too far away.

"No!" yelled Annabeth, and she charged the monster.

"Get back, Half Blood," shouted the girl with the circlet. "Get out of the line of fire."

But Annabeth leaped onto Thorn's back sinking her knife to hilt into his mane. Thorn howled, spinning in circles as he flailed his broken tail and Annabeth hanging on for dear life. For a moment, part of Percy remembered when he did something similair with the Minotuar. It was not a pleasant memory.

"Fire!" Zoë ordered.

"No!" screamed Percy.

But the Hunter let their arrows fly. The first caught him in the neck, the next in the chest. He stepped back wailing in agony. Then, with Annabeth still on his back and before anyone could react and stop him, he jumped off the cliff and tumbled into darkness.

"ANNABETH!" Percy shouted.

He ran to the cliff side, but their enemies were not down with them. The helicopter unleashed a hail of gunfire causing the Hunters to retreat into the woods again as tiny holes peppered the ground. The girl was the only who stood her ground and calmly looked up at the helicopter, with a hint of slight annoyance. She thrust out her hand and the helicopter dissolved into dust. but upon closer observation Percy saw they were actually a flock of birds, ravens, that flew off and dissipated into the night sky.

"Mortals." said the girl. "Are not allowed to witness my hunt,"

The Huntera reemerged from the forest and advanced on the demigods.

"Zoë Nighshade." said Thalia, her hands trembling in anger. "Perfect timing as usual."

Zoë scanned the rest of the group, "Four half blood and a satyr my lady."

Thalia walked over to a pile of snow, "Make that five."

Grover went over to her and helped Thalia scrape away the snow off of Artie. He did not look well. All the snow and blood loss made Artie look like a bruised corpse. The only signs he was still alive were the slight shivering from the cold and his shallow breathing. His body was covered in bloody gashes, most of them still bleeding severely. Where the skin was still somewhat intact, was severely bruised from his collision with the tree. And any part that wasn't, was incredibly pale from blood loss and hypothermia.

"You still have that ambrosia?" Thalia asked.

"Yeah," said Grover, taking a few pieces. "But I don't think its gonna be enough. He's gotta be hypothermic and I have no idea how we're gonna get him to swallow it."

"Check his boot." said the young girl. "The left one."

Thalia slipped off Artie's boot and a small hip flask fell out. She screwed off the cap and sniffed it. "Grover, prop his head up."

Grover propped up Artie's head and tilted against his foreleg, "Alright, but isn't he underage?

Thalia poured liquid into Artie's mouth,"Its nectar."

Artie coughed and sputtered as he opened his eyes. He grasped the flask and drank deeply from it. As he did, his wounds began to close and heal. When the last drop disappeared down his throat, he pushed himself to his feet. He silently accepted an ambrosia and his sunglasses from Grover as he leaned against a tree for support and ate it in two large bites, welcoming the warmth that came with it.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled."We have to go after her!"

The auburn haired girl turned to him, "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson but your friend is beyond help." Percy struggled to his feet, but two girls held him down, "You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off of cliffs."

"Let me go." said Percy. "Who do you think you are?"

Zoë stepped forward to smack him, But Artie seemed to materialize behind her and catch her hand. "You!"

Artie said nothing until he noticed Zoë's free hand drift toward her belt, "Whatever you're reaching for better be a sandwich, cause you're gonna have to eat it."

"Artie, release my lieutenant." commanded the auburn hair. She locked eyes with Artie. "Now."

Artie let go of Zoë's forearm and positioned himself between her and Percy. Percy wasn't sure what made Artie obey a girl that was clearly younger than him, then he noticed something he hadn't before. The little auburn hair girl and Artie shared the same long silver streaked hair and silver eyes, though Artie had hid his behind his sunglasses. And unless he wasn't seeing clearly, he could see some sort of resemblance between them.

Zoë walked back to the younger girl's side, muttering to herself so quietly Percy almost couldn't hear her, "Of all the demigods in world, it had to be him and her."

"I sense no disrespect, Zoë. He is simply distraught." The little girl then looked at Percy, her eyes just like Artie's. Bright as the full winter moon, but much colder and commanding. "I am Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt."


	4. Happy Birthday

After all that had just occurred, when Artemis revealed her identity, Percy said something real intelligent like, "Um . . . okay"

He looked to Artie who nodded slightly but grimly.

Grover was far more subtle. He knelt hastily in the snow and began yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis. You're so . . . you're so . . . Wow!"

"Get up goat boy." snapped Thalia. "We have bigger things to worry about. Annabeth is gone."

Artemis gazed to a clump of trees, "You can come out now, it is safe."

Bianca and Nico both emerged from behind a tree. They watched everyone with a terrified expression, looking for even the slightest hint of danger. They especially eyed Artie who knew why and couldn't exactly blame them for it.

Bianca was first to speak, "Who . . . who are you people?"

Artemis's expression grew softer, "It might be better to ask, my dear girl, who are you? Where are your parents?"

_Like you really care_, Artie thought to himself.

"Our parents are dead." Bianca glanced nervously at her brother before she continued, "We're orphans. There's bank trust that pays for our school, but . . . " Her face faltered, thinking they did not believe her. "What? I'm telling the truth."

"Thou art a half blood." said Zoë. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian."

"An Olympian . . . athlete?"

Zoë shook her head."No — "

"She means one of the Olympian gods." said Artie, ignoring the death stare Zoë was giving him for interrupting. "Percy, here is a son of Poseidon. Thalia is a daughter of Zeus. And I'm . . ." Artie glanced at Artemis and her Hunters. "Point is, either your mother or father was a Greek god of Olympus."

"Cool!" said Nico.

"No!" Bianca's voice quivered. "This is not cool."

Nico danced around like he needed to use the bathroom. "Does Zeus really lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for — "

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is your stupid Mythomagic game. There are no gods!"

Percy, despite wanting to desperately search for Annabeth, couldn't help but feel sorry for the Di Angelos. He still remembered when he first learned he was a demigod. Artie and Thalia must have been feeling something similar because Artie seemed to relax slightly and the anger in Thalia seemed to lessen.

"Bianca, I know its hard to believe, but the gods are still around." Thalia explained. "Trust me. They're immortal and when they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well . . . our lives are more . . ."

Artie decided to finish Thalia's thought, "Let's just say, you'll never wish for more excitement."

"You mean more dangerous." said Bianca. "Like the girl who fell?"

"Do not despair for Annabeth." said the goddess. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

"Then why won't you let us look for her?" Percy asked.

"Excellent question." Artie remarked. "I mean, its not like your one to let young demigods fend for themselves."

Artemis eyed Artie for a second before she spoke to Percy, "She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work here. I don't know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."

"Ooo!" Nico raised his hand. "What about Dr. Thorn? That was cool how you shot him with arrows. Is he dead?"

_Not by a long shot_, thought Artie.

"He was a manticore." said Artemis. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They reform over and over again, and they must be hunted."

"Or they'll hunt us." said Artie.

Bianca began to shiver and it wasn't from the cold. "That explains . . . Nico, you remember last summer, those guys tried to attack us in D.C?"

"And that bus driver," said Nico. "The one with the ram's horns? I told you they were real."

"That's why Grover was watching you." explained Percy. "To keep you safe, in case you turned out be half bloods."

"Grover," Bianca stared at him. "You're a demigod?"

"Well, satyr actually." He kicked off his shoes and displayed his hooves. Bianca looked like she was about to faint.

"Grover, put your shoes back on." said Thalia. "You're freaking her out."

"Hey, my hooves are clean."

"Bianca," said Percy. "We came to help you. You and Nico need training to survive."

"Listen to him." said Artie. "I can guarantee that he won't be the last monster you see. You need to come to camp."

"Camp?"

"Camp Half Blood." said Percy. "Its where half bloods learn to survive. You can even stay year round, if you like."

"Sweet, lets go." said Nico.

"There is another option." said Zoë

"No, there isn't." said Thalia.

Thalia and Zoë glared at each other. Artie guessed he wasn't the only one with a history with Zoë and the Hunters. Still, he couldn't believe Artemis. He knew right away what she planned and didn't approve of separating a brother and sister. Especially when they were all each other had.

"We've burdened these children long enough." announced Artemis. "Zoë, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents and treat the wounded. Retrieve our guest's belongings from the school."

"Yes, my lady."

"Bianca, please come with me. I would like to speak with you."

"What about me?" asked Nico.

"Another excellent question." Artie remarked.

Artemis considered the boy, "Perhaps you can show that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you, as a favor to me?"

Grover nearly tripped over himself getting up. "You bet! Come on, Nico."

Artie watched them walk into the woods, catching words like damage points and armor ratings mixed with several important names from Greek mythology. He began walking the way he had followed Thorn and Percy back to Westover Hall, making sure to pick the tattered remains of his leather jacket. He didn't want to stick around and give Thorn too much of a head start. There was a slim chance he might find something useful, a clue to where Thorn might go to lick his wound and recover. Plus, he didn't trust himself around the Hunters anymore than they trusted him. This also looked a good as time as any, with the Hunters busy making camp and far too busy to notice him.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Artemis.

"Hunting." he answered. "Thorn didn't bring anything with him. He might have left something back the school. Something that can point me in the right direction."

"You haven't fully recovered from your wounds." said the goddess

As if by some magic, and Artie was certain its just wasn't good timing on her part, a bout of dizziness overcame him. He swayed and held his head as he grabbed a tree to steady himself. He shook his head to clear it and forced himself to ignore his nausea. He did his best to hold back a cough and pushed himself away from the tree.

"You need to rest." Artemis told him.

"I'll get right on that." he grunted and continued walking, swaying slightly side to side as he did. "_Boa viagem e boa sorte_."

Artemis made a gesture and two Hunters blocked Artie's way, "Whether you are willing to admit it or not, you do have limitations. You're hardly in the condition to go tramping through the forest during a blizzard."

_I was hardly in the condition to live in a jungle, but you didn't stop me then._ Artie almost said aloud.

Although Percy couldn't blame Artie for wanting to leave, he hated to admit Artemis was right. No more than two minutes ago, Artie had nearly been ripped to shreds and then frozen. The nectar and ambrosia had saved him from the more life threatening wounds, but his fight with Thorn had left him weak. Also Artie made sure to keep it a well guarded secret that whenever he entered his feral state, when he came out of it he would lucky he found the energy to stand let alone hunt down and kill monsters. While he knew Artemis was right, he wasn't about to admit it aloud. Artie silently pouted and sat at the base of a tree, leaning against the trunk. He watched wordlessly around as the Hunters busied themselves making camp. Seven large silver tents were erected in seconds in a rough crescent as the white wolves formed a guard perimeter around the camp. He looked up and saw Tobias perched overhead along with several dozen falcons spread among the tree tops, keeping watch for anything that might pose a threat. Percy and Thalia joined him as Grover and Nico returned from their walk.

Percy asked, "Artie, you alright?"

Artie nodded. "Just a little sore. How's the arm?"

"Its green." noticed Nico.

"Hold still," said Grover he knelt by Percy. "Here, eat some ambrosia while I clean it."

"He's gonna need stitches." said Artie as he reached into his jacket. "Here."

Artie handed Grover a large knife. It was a huge fourteen inch survival knife with a serrated back for sawing and a hand modified leather grip. The blade had been professionally shined and honed to a fine razor edge. Grover turned it around and saw a compass in the butt of the handle. He looked at Artie, not sure how this was suppose to help with stitching Percy's arm.

"The handle is hollow." Artie explained. "Unscrew the compass and there should be a needle and thread along with a small vial of vodka."

Percy gave Artie a look,"Vodka?"

"Its for sterilizing the needle and thread." Artie explained. "I always try to keep some on me. It won't freeze in cold temperatures, it'll help keep you cool if you're stuck somewhere hot like a desert if smear it on your skin. And since its one-hundred percent proof, its incredibly flammable which helps starting a fire with wet wood or nice distraction in a pinch."

"You weren't kidding about the whole survival thing." said Thalia. "Rambo could learn a thing or two."

"Kinda runs in the family." said Percy as he rolled up his sleeve for Grover.

"What do you mean?"

"Artie is — "

Artie cut in, "Percy, are you trying to get me killed?"

Percy looked around and lowered his voice. "You mean the Hunters don't know?"

Artie shook his head, "I'm not entirely sure she told them yet.

Thalia looked confused, "She hasn't told them what?"

Percy looked to Artie who motioned to go on, "Artie is the son of Artemis."

"Are you crazy?" Thalia looked around frantically, "If she hears you . . . You can't joke about that."

"He's telling the truth." said Artie. "Its not something I like to announce to everyone I meet."

"And the Hunters don't know?"

Artie shook his head. "If she hasn't told them, I'm not going to be one to tell them."

"Yeah, I can imagine their reaction." said Thalia. "I'm finding it hard to believe myself."

After that they fell into silence, except for Nico's constant stream of questions. Artie and Thalia left Percy to answer them. Artie was sure Percy was about to throw Nico to wolves in a meat covered sack, and frankly Artie wouldn't have blamed him, when Zoë approached.

"Well, if it isn't Ethel Barrymore." said Artie, quoting Singing in the Rain.

Zoë eyed Artie annoyingly before speaking to Percy. "Percy Jackson, come with me. Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."

"I do hope you're going to favor us with something special tonight. " Artie continued quoting Singing in the Rain. "Say, Hamlet's soliloquy, or the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet."

Zoë faced Artie, "I'm afraid your juvenile attempts to mock me will not amount to a thing."

Artie shrugged and finished with yet another line, "That's what they said about the horseless carriage."

Artie and Thalia watched as Zoë led Percy to the last tent at the far end of camp.

Artie got up and began walking to where Thorn and Annabeth had gone over, "I'll be right back."

"Didn't your mother say for you to stay?" asked Thalia.

"She's not my — " Artie snapped as he stopped himself. "I'm going to see if I can pick Thorn's scent. There's a chance he just made it look like they disappeared. Its one thing to cover your tracks, but I doubt he had the time to cover his scent or Annabeth's."

Thalia nodded. "Good idea, come on Grover. We need your nose"

Artie shook his head, "I got it, Grover. Just make sure Nico's safe."

"Artie's noes is a little better than mine when it comes that sort of thing." Grover explained. "Plus, he knows what to look for."

Thalia followed Artie to edge of the cliff. As they walked, she couldn't help notice how the Hunters eyed him. She wasn't surprised that they did, after all they hated almost any boy without reason, but she was confused at how they did. They watched him with a mixture of hatred and fear. The hatred no doubt came whatever happened when first met him and the fact he was a boy. The fear she guessed, came from how he fought Thorn, like a wild savage animal. When they reached the edge, Artie had Thalia stand to side as he knelt in the snow. He picked up a little snow stained with Thorn's blood and stared at intently as he rubbed between his fingers. He then brought his fingers to his nose and sniffed. He stood up and looked annoyed.

"Problem?" Thalia asked.

"All I can tell that Annabeth and Thorn were here recently."

"I could have told you that."

"_Talvez ele deixou cair alguma coisa_," Artie said to himself.

"What?"

Artie whistled and a hawk landed on his shoulder. He whispered to it and it dove down towards the ocean. "Tobias is gonna do a sweep. His eye sight is ten times sharper than mine. Maybe Annabeth had the chance to leave a clue or something."

"But how is he going to see in the dark?"

Artie opened his bow and drew an arrow from his quiver, "I'm gonna give him some light."

Artie fired and the arrow's tip exploded into a half dozen bright red signal flares. Thalia watched as Tobias flew from left to right several hundred feet below, weaving between the flares as they fell. Artie fired twice more as Tobias performed two more sweeps before he flew back up and perched on a tree. He squawked and chirped a few times to report what he had or hadn't seen.

"Well, what did he say?" asked Thalia, eager for even the slightest clue.

"Nothing." said Artie as he sat, his leg dangling over the cliff edge. He buried his head in hands sighed deeply.

"Are you crying?"

"No." said Artie. "But I haven't ruled it out."

"Don't give up," Thalia told him. "We'll find Annabeth."

"Its just my luck." Artie muttered. "I spent four years just wanting to get away from him. And now, when I actually want to fight him, he disappears. I'm seriously wondering who or what has a grudge against me."

"Four years?" Thalia looked confused. "You met Thorn before tonight?"

"He not only met the monster before," said a voice. "But you'd be hard pressed to find another who knows him better than Artie."

Thalia and Artie turned to find themselves face to face with Artemis.

Out of the corner of his eye, Artie saw Bianca being led out by Zoë, "I guess Jessica is glad she not the greenhorn anymore."

"She was," admitted Artemis. "When Heather joined two months ago in Colorado."

"I suppose you gave her usual sales pitch." said Artie, looking out to the horizon. "I never thought there'd be someone worse off than me."

Artemis's eyebrows formed a dangerous looking 'V' when she frowned. "Thalia, would you please leave us. I'd like to have a word with Artie."

"Uh, sure." Thalia said and walked away, wondering what Artemis was about change Artie into.

Artemis folded her arms, "You know, most demigods wouldn't even think of being so rude to a god."

"My apologies, your most gracious majesty." Artie stood up and bowed. "You'd think I wasn't raised properly. I must have a word with those jaguars and wolves so they can add etiquette to the regimen."

"You're obvious distaste for me and the Hunters momentarily aside, what did you mean Bianca is worse off than you with immortality? And please don't tell me living with that Apollo girl has brought you over to Aphrodite's way of thinking."

"First off, that Apollo girl has a name. Second, she's eventually going to regret her decision and its going to be too late. Do you really think she can live with herself when she finally realizes she abandoned her brother? The only family she has left? He may get over it and even if he doesn't, he won't have eternity to dwell on it like she will.

Artemis half nodded half shrugged at Artie's arguments, "You actually have put some thought into it, but I sense something else. Jealousy perhaps? Do you find it unjust?"

"Unjust?, Perish the thought." said Artie innocently. "How could anyone think that a group that could be considered the first equal rights movement for women, equal being the keyword there, that offers immortality to women and only women be even the slightest unjust?"

"Are you done deconstructing my hunters?" Artemis demanded. "Or do you have more to say on the matter?"

"I would." said Artie. "But sadly, only one of us has the time and its not me."

"Now what were doing out here?" she asked.

"Trying to see if Thorn had left a trail I could follow."

"And you thought you could succeed where I couldn't?" the goddess wondered. "Becoming quite confident in our abilities, aren't we?"

"Well in my defense, there have instances where a supposedly omnipotent god overlooked something that a mere mortal didn't."

"I'm not entirely certain, but I think you just insulted my intelligence." said Artemis dangerously calm. "Then again, even you wouldn't be that dense."

Then Artie did something incredibly dense, "This coming from a sexist egotistical bigot who — "

His word were cut off as well as the air he breathed. It was as if someone invisible had wraps their hands around his neck and squeezed with almost enough force to crush his windpipe. His hands went to his neck as he tried to pull off whatever was cutting off his life sustaining supply of air. He went down on all fours like a dog, desperately trying to get even the smallest amount oxygen into his lungs. Panic began set in as he realized that Artemis had taken page out of one his favorite films, the Darth Vader Force Choke. She even went as far to make the same hand gesture made infamous by the Sith Lord.

"I tire of your insolence." said Artemis. "You will respect me as a goddess and as your mother. Is that clear?"

Artie used his last bit of breath to say three words between his panic gasps for air, "Not . . . . . . my . . . . . . . . . mother!"

Artemis released the magic around Artie's throat, "What did you say?"

Artie was too busy hacking and gagging as he filled his lungs with winter air, not caring how the cold air stung his throat and chest, to answer.

"Answer me." demanded the goddess.

"You may have created me,"Artie looked up with a look of absolute hatred, "But don't think for a second that makes you my mother. My mother, who you gave me to, was Maria Gallezi." Artie sat down as he breathed deeply. "She was the one that cared for and raised me while you were nowhere to be found."

Artemis rolled her eyes, "I've explained this to you at length when embarked on your quest. The gods are forbidden direct contact with their children."

"And do you remember what I told you?" Artie coughed, his throat stinging when he did. "If you were . . . _cunning_ enough to have a child without breaking your vow, then you could have found some sort loophole. Even if you couldn't, the least you could have done was send a warning. How much effort would it have taken to send a letter?"

"I don't see how a warning would have helped."

"Then I'll do you one better." Artie growled. "Why even send me to Rio at all? You have easily left me at Camp Half Blood's doorstep or better yet, not even bothered to create me at all."

Artemis was surprised by the last part, "I saved your life. You would have died if I hadn't — "

"Taken pity on me and my family?" Artie finished. "You're right I would have died, and you should have let me. If it wasn't for you, Thorn wouldn't have come looking for me and they'd still be alive. Jacob could have been doctor, the next Pele, or the next Elvis. Instead he was killed before he could join the school futbol team." Artie's voice cracked with emotion. "Do you finally understand what you did? By giving me to them, you traded two innocent lives for one."

"I had no control over what happened to them or even the slightest inkling what could happen. Their fate, even yours, was beyond my power to control or even influence." Artemis explained.

Artie froze, at a lost for words. He had complexly forgotten, for years in fact, that even the gods were slaves to their fate. The gods may have immense power of the forces of nature and the world, but Fates had supreme control over everything. It was up to them to decide how long one's life would be and how and when a person would die. Still, Artie wasn't sure if they were entirely to blame. They still allowed some freewill and he severely doubted they would be so preoccupied with him in the grande scheme of the universe.

"Look, neither one of us is likely to convince the other." said Artemis diplomatically. "Nor do we have time to try. I'm about to embark on a hunt that I must attempt alone and I summoned your uncle to transport your allies and my Hunters to Camp Half Blood."

"You haven't told them about me, have you."

"No, but not for reason you think."

"That reason you being ashamed of me?"

"No, I just found it difficult to explain to them my reason for doing so."

"So you want me to be one who finally tells them? That;s gonna make Cabin eight a little awkward."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You've survived worse things." Artemis gave him a quizzical look. "Your knives broke in the Underworld, correct?"

"Yes."

"And your birthday is when exactly?"

"You're the one who told me, December twenty first. The winter solstice. Its roughly a week from now."

"Then here." Artemis waved her hand. "Something tells me you might find need of these quite soon.

His leather jacket he had made for himself, torn to shreds and peppered with holes from his fight Thorn, began to weave and bend. The sleeves opened and melted back into the jacket as did the pockets and zipper. It also grew until the bottom lightly brushed the ground at his feet. The collar also grew out and around his head until it formed a hood. Before he knew it, a long warm leather cloak hung from his shoulders with silver fibula secured comfortably around his neck. He examined the fibula under his neck. He knew it was what the ancient Greeks and Romans used to secure garments, like cloaks and capes, and weren't meant to be decorative like modern day brooches. This one was simple and yet elegant. It was made of pure silver and shone like the full moon, although it designed to depict the moon as a crescent. Artie opened his arms and gazed at the pure black interior which contradicted the pure snow white exterior.

"That cloak will aid you when you find yourself in more frigid climates, here for example. As well as keep you from baking in the hot sun if you must enter a desert." Artemis explained. "It won't make you completely invisible, but it should aid greatly when you need to blend in with your surroundings. It can also be inverted allowing you to blend with shadows as well as the snow."

"As much as I hate to admit it," Artie slipped his quiver off and back on over his new cloak. "This much better than the wool socks Appolonia is planning on giving me."

Artemis frowned for a moment at the mention of his girlfriend, but regain her passive expression just as quickly. "And as much I'd prefer to let you learn the hard way how foolish it was for you to lose those knives, I cannot in good conscience allow you to continue without a suitable weapon for close encounters, except for those poor excuses you call claws." Artemis rubbed her chin for a moment. "Hold out your hands."

Artie did, his palms towards the floor.

"No, no." said the goddess. "The other way."

Artie turned his palms upward towards the night sky. Again, Artemis waved her hand. The light given off by the near full moon bent and condensed in Artie's hand, forming the rough size and shape of a sword. It was so bright, even with his sunglasses, Artie had to look away. When he looked back his hands, he held a strange looking sword. The blade, without the slightest doubt made of pure moonsilver,was single-edged that pitched forward towards the point. The edge was concave nearest to the hilt, but swelling in thickness towards the tip. The hilt was looked to be made of plain bronze with a simple leather grip.

"Its called a Kopis." Artemis said in response to his confused look. "The shape distributes the weight in such a way that it is capable of delivering a blow with the momentum of an axe, whilst maintaining the long cutting edge of a sword and a capability to deliver a thrust."

"You lost me after Kopis."

Artemis rolled her eyes, "Think of it as the predecessor of a machete. Like a sword, a machete is meant for slashing and cutting. However, to be hit with one is quite similar to be hit with an axe."

"Ohhh."

"I know your not much of a swordsman — "

"That's putting it lightly."

"But I'm sure you know enough to use it in an emergency." Artemis finished. "Just remember that the sharp bits go into the monsters, not the other way around."

"I'll try to remember that."

"Also, you'll have to either find or make your own scabbard."

"I can live with that." Artie said as he slide the kopis through his belt, careful not to slice it. "I think I can make a leather sheath with what I have in stock back at camp."

Artemis nodded, "Good. Now I suggest you rejoin your companions. Your uncle should arrive momentarily."

"Alright." He paused after only a few steps and looked back.

"What?" asked Artemis.

He looked he was about say something deep and meaningful, but he simply brought up the hood on his new cloak. "Thanks . . . for the . . . uh, cloak and . . . um, the Kopis."

A slight smile tugged at Artemis, "Your welcome."


	5. Cloak and Bath Towel

When the white cloaked and hooded figured that was Artie rejoined his friends, they all stopped mid conversation and gazed in both amazement and confusion. He had yet to look in mirror, but with the hood up all of Artie's face was hid behind shadow, save his lower lip and below.

"So, uh . . . new winter fashion?" guessed Grover.

"Its all the rage." asked Artie, doing his best not burst out laughing.

"Very Batman." said Thalia.

"Yeah, it really brings out your eyes." said Percy. "Or it would if you took off your sunglasses."

"I'll keep them on for now." Artie pulled the hood farther down. "From what Artemis said, I'm gonna need them."

"Plus," added Thalia. "We wouldn't the you - know - who's to see a certain family resemblance."

"But why did she give it to you?" asked Percy, low enough to avoid being heard. "I mean, if she hasn't told them yet, wouldn't she want to avoid drawing attention?"

_ She made it sound like a birthday present, but I think there's more to it. She can't honestly believe a cloak and a sword can buy me off._ Artie thought to himself as he glanced at Artemis who was speaking with Bianca, "Your guess is a good as mine, Percy."

"And the sword?" asked Thalia.

"You mean this?" Artie drew the sword and handed it to Thalia. "She called it a Kopis."

"Its so light." Thalia said as he felt the weight. "I could swear this was a cheap plastic toy."

"That's moonsilver for ya." said Grover. Then he stole a glance at the Hunters. "Um, why are they staring at us."

Artie did not even bother looking, "They're probably wondering how I'm still able to use moonsilver."

"Why wouldn't you be able to use it?"

"There's another name for moonsilver." Artie explained. "Maidsilver. Maid, as in maiden."

"I don't get it." said Percy.

"There's a reason why everyone prefers to use bronze despite moonsilver being much lighter." Artie held up his ring. "Only a maiden can use it. Anyone who isn't, won't even be able to lift it."

"But your not a maiden." Thalia pointed out. "You're a boy."

"Your powers of observation continue to serve you well." Artie quoted V for Vendetta. "What did the word maiden used to mean back in ancient Greece, besides an unmarried girl."

"It meant . . . " Thalia's blushed. "Oh . . . I get it now."

"Maybe you can explain it?" asked Percy. "I'm still lost."

Artie whispered in Percy's ear, trying not to laugh at how bright red his cheeks had gotten. "Understand now? I can draw it in the snow for you."

"I'm good."

"Hey, Artie." said Grover. "How exactly did you get here? I mean, I know I accidentally sent you an iris message, but that was barely two days ago."

"I was luckily enough to catch a ride."

"What ride?" Percy asked.

"Yeah," said Thalia. "You caught a ride with us only a few miles away from Westover. How did you get from Miami all the way to Maine?"

Artie made sure Artemis was still occupied waiting for Apollo and reached into his pocket. "With this." Artie held out his hand and displayed a little metal figurine.

Percy glanced at it. "A toy motorcycle?"

Before Artie could answer, Tobias swooped down out of nowhere and plucked the figurine out Artie's palm. They watched as Tobias perched on Artemis's shoulder and dropped the little figurine in her palm. She switch her gaze between the piece of metal in her hand and Artie. She petted Tobias and walked over to Artie. Percy wasn't sure why a toy would upset Artemis, but he was glad she was eying Artie and not him.

Artemis held up the toy, "Where did you get this?"

Artie flashed Tobias a murderous look.

Artemis tossed the toy over her shoulder. As it fell to the ground the toy figurine began to grow and change colors. In a blink of an eye, a full size motorcycle appeared in the snow, its engine roaring to life before dying to a slight drone. Artie knew from who gave it to him that it was a 1985 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail, but it had been greatly modified. The entire thing was made to resemble the Ceryneian Hind, the sacred animal of Artemis. The head of hind formed the front of the frame, using its eyes for headlights and it's large golden antlers from the handlebars. Both sets of hooves looked as if it held the wheels, the front very far out, and were clearly made of bronze. The seat was made from pure deer hide, common deer not the Ceryneian, with a thin layer of hair still on the hide. And sitting on the seat was a helmet, made and painted so it mimicked a horse plume helmet often used by campers during Capture the Flag.

"I'll ask you again." said Artemis. "Where did you get this?"

Suddenly there was a flash of light followed by an intense heat, and unless their ears were playing tricks, they could hear lively music. Percy, Artie, Thalia, and everyone one but Artemis averted their eyes. Just as quickly, the light and heat died. They all looked and saw convertible red Maserati Spyder, sitting in a perfect circle of melted snow. The music continued to play as the driver got out of the car, danced out of car would be more precise. He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen with blonde sandy hair, a bright cocky smile, and outdoorsy good looks. He wore a pair of RayBan sunglasses, a white sleeveless T-shirt, blue jeans, and loafers.

Artemis instantly realized where Artie had acquired his two wheeled death machine, "Apollo, would you please expl — "

Apollo cut her off as he held up a hand and continued to dance, "Hold on, sis. I love this part."

Artie instantly knew what song was playing off the car's stereo system, not because he was fluent in 1960 music like his uncle, but because it was featured in one of his favorite films by Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction. He couldn't help tapping his foot to the song and neither could anyone else, save for Artemis and her Hunters.

_They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale_

_The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale,_

_But when Pierre found work, the little money comin' worked out well_

_"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell_

_They had a hi-fi phono, boy, did they let it blast_

_Seven hundred little records, all rock, rhythm and jazz_

_But when the sun went down, the rapid tempo of the music fell_

_"C'est la vie", say the old folks, it goes to show you never can tell _

Artemis grew tired of waiting and cut the music with a wave of her hand. Apollo continued dancing for half a moment when the song cut mid lyric. He looked at his sister with a slightly annoyed smile.

"You never were a fan of my boy Chuck." Apollo chuckled to himself. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried."

Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. Now would you please how this young _underage _demigod managed to acquire such a dangerous mode of transportation?"

Apollo lowered his sunglasses and gazed at Ceryneian Hind motorcycle, "If that's here, then that means he's . . ." Apollo set his gaze on the hooded demigod. He walked up to Artie and embraced him in a massive bear hug. "Artie! How's my favorite little _sobrinho_?"

Artie's response came out a little stuttered as Apollo shook him, "N-n-n-n-nice t-t-to s-s-see you t-to _tio_."

"So you did give it to him?" accused Artemis.

Apollo set Artie down. "Well, I was gonna wait till the twenty-first, but I figured it wouldn't hurt for him to have it a little early."

Artemis looked eager to be off. "I'll be mad about your ever growing idiocy later. Look, I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone, and I need you to take my companions to Camp Half Blood."

"Sure, sis" Apollo held up his hands in a hold everything gesture and cleared his throat. "I feel a haiku coming on."

Artie had smile as the Hunters groaned. He wasn't a fan of Apollo's poetry either, but if it made the Hunters unhappy then chances were it might be fun or entertaining for a moment or two.

_Green grass breaks through snow,_

_Artemis pleads for my help,_

_I am so cool._

"That last line was only four syllables." Artemis pointed out.

Apollo cocked his head slightly, "Was it?"

"Yes. How about I am so big-headed?"

"No, no. That's six. Hmm." He then began muttering to himself as he thought.

Zoë turned to the demigods, "Lord Apollo has being going through this haiku phase ever since he visited japan. 'Tis not as bad as the time he visited Limmerick. If I had to hear one more poem that began with, _There once was a goddess from Sparta — _

_ "_Any ideas, Artie?" Apollo asked with a smile.

"Uh, I am generous?" offered Artie.

"I love this kid. Nice to see my little girl is rubbing off on you." Apollo chuckled. "And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing. I was about ready to roll."

"These demigods will also need a ride." Artemis motioned to Percy and his friends. "Some of Chiron's campers."

"No problem." he said and looked over at them. "Thalia, right? i heard all about you."

Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."

"Zeus's girl, yes? Makes you my half sister. Used to be a tree, didn't you? Glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls get turned into trees. Man, I remember this one time — "

"Brother," said Artemis. "You should get going."

Apollo eyed Percy for a moment, but said. "Oh right, we'd better load up. Ride only goes one way — west, and if you miss it, you miss it."

"Cool car." said Nico

"Thanks kid."

"But how will we all fit?"

"Oh." Apollo looked at the car as if noticing the problem for the first time, "I'd hate to change out of sports car mode, but I guess . . ."

He fished out his key and hit the alarm. The car gave a high pitched, chirp-chirp, and began to glow brightly. When the light died down, the car was replace with a shuttle bus used often for school sporting events like basket and baseball games.

"Right!" he said. "Everybody in."

Zoë ordered the Hunters to being loading. She shouldered her pack and Apollo said, "Here, let me get that for you sweetheart."

Zoë recoiled at the word sweetheart, her eyes flashing murderously.

"Brother," Artemis chided. "You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at , talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart."

Artie leaned in and whispered to his friends, "Its best to humor them when it comes to the whole men are 'pigs without manners' image they've worked so hard to maintain."

They all laughed quietly to themselves

Apollo spread his hands. "Sorry, I forgot. Hey sis, where you off to anyway?"

"Hunting" said Artemis. "It's none of your business."

"I'll find out. I see all. Know all."

Artemis snorted. "Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around.

"No, no. I never mess around."

Artemis rolled her eyes and looked to Zoë. "I will see you by winter solstice. Zoë, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would do."

Zoë straightened. "Yes, my lady."

Artemis then knelt and examined the ground, much like Artie had before. When she rose, she looked troubled. "So much danger. The beast must be found." She then sprinted towards the forest, melting into the snow and shadows.

"So," Apollo turned around and grinned, jingling his car keys on his finger. "Who wants to drive?"

Artie held up a hand, "If its alright with you, I'd rather — "

"Sure, I'd join ya, but duty and all that." said Apollo.

Artie got on his motorcycle and slipped on his helmet. Percy had to admit to himself, he thought it was pretty cool that Artie had an uncle who though it was cool to give his nephew a motorcycle. Then again, Apollo never had a nephew before Artie and he wasn't sure what to do. Then another thought came to Percy, it could be that Apollo was simply trying to make up for, what Artie seemed to think, years of callous neglect on Artemis's part.

Apollo sighed and laid a hand on Percy's shoulder. "She sure is a beaut, ain't she? Took ol' Hephaestus a whole five minutes to design and build it. He called it the Ceryneian Davidson. The world's only solar powered all terrain bike."

"Solar powered?" Grover asked. "To stop pollution?"

"Well, it was so he can't drive at night." Apollo admitted. "Just because he can see in the dark doesn't mean everyone else can."

"Oh." Grover looked disappointed.

"Though I'm sure Hephaestus had that in mine too."

Artie kicked started the engine and revved it twice to warm it up, "See you back at camp."

"Remember," called out Apollo. "Hang a left when you reach Cape Cod and try avoid getting to close to any boats. Who knows what they'll see through the Mist."

"You will." said Artie with a chuckle.

Apollo smiled, "Okay, I will, but no need to end up on six o'clock news."

Artie flipped on the radio and a blast of deafening music came on. Several of the Hunters covered their ears along with the demigods, except for Thalia and Apollo who were the only fans of metal. Artie then kicked up the stand and sped off, sailing over the cliff side for a breif moment before he plummeted like a rock. Instantly the music began to fade. Still, it was loud enough to be heard as Artie fell to his death on the rocks and ocean below.

_She's a ten, hellbent, I'm in heaven tonight_

_Six speed sex scene playin' out in my mind_

_One look, I'm hooked, motor runnin'_

_Rev'd up, my heart startin' pumpin'_

_Are you ready for the best damn ride of your life?_

All but Apollo ran to the edge. What they saw astounded them. Artie was heading to the bottom of the cliff at increasing speed, but not like they expected him to. Not only was Artie riding at a ninety degree angle, but he was using the cliff wall as a road. All the while music continuing to blast loudly.

_Gimme a hell, gimme a yeah_

_Stand up right now_

_And gimme a hell, gimme a yeah_

_Stand up right now, _

_Get ready to go, she ain't movin' slow, _

_She's takin' control, pushin' the pedal to the floor,_

_I'm beggin' for more, you better hold on tight_

Then, when he was only twenty feet from bottom, Artie lifted the front of the bike and launched off the cliff. Even from their elevation they could hear Artie force the engine to max as he landed in the ocean with a massive splash. Percy was sure that Artie would sink like a rock and prepared himself to jump in after him, but Artie only briefly sank a few inches before riding off on the surface of the ocean, head due south towards New York and Long Island.

They all looked back at Apollo who looked as if he was doing his best not to burst out laughing, "I did say 'all terrain', didn't I? Come on, we're burning daylight."

* * *

One high flying thrill ride of what Apollo assured was a short drive later, but with Thalia at the wheel felt not short enough, the demigods and Hunters arrived at Camp Half Blood. Percy was surprised by what he saw since he had never seen camp during the winter. He always assume with the magical weather protection it would be warm and sunny, but a light snow had been allowed to gather on ground, covering everything from the strawberry fields to the chariot track. The cabins were also decorated with tiny flickering light, similar to Christmas lights, but were actually small balls of fire. Similar lights flickered in the woods and the Big House.

"Whoa," said Nico as he climbed off the bus. "Is that a climbing wall?"

"Yeah." said Percy.

"Why is lava pouring out of it?"

"A little extra challenge." explained Percy. "Come on, I'll introduce you to Chiron. Zoë, have you met — "

"I know Chiron." she said stiffly. "Tell him we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

"I'll show you the way." said Grover.

"We know the way."

"Oh its no trouble — " Grover tripped over a canoe and came up still talking, "like my daddy goat used to say! Come on."

Zoë rolled her eyes, but Percy guessed she figured there was no getting rid of Grover. The Hunters shouldered their packs and bows and headed off towards the cabins. As they were leaving, Bianca whispered in her brother's ear. She seemed to be waiting for answer, but Nico just scowled and turned away.

"Take care sweethearts." Apollo called out to the Hunters. Then he turned to Percy and winked. "Watch out for those prophecies, Percy. And here, give this to Artie when you see him." He tossed a pair of jeans into his arms before addressing Thalia. "Later Thalia, and uh, be good."

He gave her a wicked smile which gave Percy the impression he knew something that they didn't. He revved the engine and disappeared in a flash of heat. When they looked back, the lake was steaming as a red Maserati soared over the woods. It continued to climb higher and higher and glow brighter and brighter until finally disappeared in a ray of sunshine.

"Who's Chiron?" asked Nico. "I don't have his figurine."

"Our activities director." said Percy. "He's . . . well, you'll see."

They all walked to the Big House and found Chiron playing a quiet game of cards in the parlor with Mr. D. Chiron's beard had grown shaggier for the winter. His curly had grown longer. Percy guess since he wasn't posing as a teacher, Chiron could be a little more casual than usual. He wore a fuzzy sweater with an impression of a hoof print on the front and a warm blanket over his false legs that almost hid the bottom half of his wheelchair.

Chiron smiled at them. "Percy! Thalia! Ah, this must be — "

"Nico Di Angelo," said Percy. "He and his sister are half bloods."

Chiron breathed a sigh of relief, "So you succeeded then?"

"Well . . ."

Chiron's smile melted, "What's wrong? And where is Annabeth?"

"Oh dear," said Mr. D, sounding bored. "Not another one lost."

Thalia looked at Mr. D, "Who else is — "

_KER - ASH_

Everyone in the room turned to the sound of glass shattering as something or someone barreled through the window. It looked to be a large deflated soccer ball, until one noticed it had limbs and a head. It was Artie wearing his cloak, and nothing else or at least that was everyone thought. It was only when he rushed to the window opposite he crashed, ignoring the piece of glass embedded in his shoulders and chest, that he wore a wet bath towel around his waist. Artie ignored the onlookers and opened the window before he slid back to other and crouching below the windowsill. He looked to everyone and held a finger to his lips.

No sooner than he did that, a Hunter peaked inside and saw the open window, "It was just a distraction! He only cut through! He's not inside!"

Several angry Hunters followed the first as they ran back to the woods, back tracking Artie's trail. Artie did not move a muscle, save for his noes that twitched when he sniffed the air to make sure his pursers were gone. He carefully pushed himself up and picked out the shards glass from his shoulder as he brought down the blinds on both windows.

He peaked through the blinds, "_Afinal_, i think that got them."

Chiron cleared his throat, "I see that the Hunters are here, but I think we can leave that issue aside for the moment."

"Quite." agreed Mr. D. "We have much more pressing matters. A demigod clad in a bath towel for example."

Percy tossed the jeans Apollo had given him to Artie, "Here. Apollo said to give them to you."

Artie turned his back, his cloak serving as curtain, and slipped into them. "Now, if I could sneak back and grab my quiver and a shirt, I'd be set."

"They found out?" asked Thalia. "Didn't they?"

* * *

_**(TEN MINUTES PREVIOUSLY)**_

Zoë and the rest of the Hunters were glad to be rid of that annoying satyr, Grover. Yes it required Phoebe smacking him, but Zoë wasn't sure even that would keep him away for long. As they walked, the few remaining campers stopped to stare and gawk. Zoë ignored them and the Hunters followed suit. They all walked in silence until Cabin Eight came into view. Zoë froze causing two of her sisters to bump into her.

"Why did you stop?" asked one of them.

Zoë looked up, "There is smoke coming from the chimney."

Bianca closed her eyes, "And there's music playing from inside. Jazz, I think."

"None but Hunters are permitted in cabin eight." Zoë set down her pack and readied her bow, the Hunters did the same. "Come, let us see who dares."

Without a word, the Hunters divided themselves into teams and entered the cabin silently. Zoë, Phoebe, and Bianca all waited until everyone had entered, in case the intruder should leave via window, and finally entered when a Hunter waved them in. Zoë and Bianca entered as Phoebe brought up the rear, walking backward should an ambush was sprung. Phoebe quietly closed the door and turned around. What she saw amazed her and the rest of the Hunters. It was still cabin eight, different bows and quivers from various time periods decorated the walls, along with several animal pelts and stuffed heads, but there were a few things different since their last visit. The air smelled of fresh exotic coffee and woodsmoke, courtesy of the old espresso machine sitting quietly in the corner and the roaring fire in the fireplace. Around the cabin was a three level shelf,stocked to brim with DVD's, wrapping itself around the entirety of the cabin's interior only the bottom portion breaking when it reached the top of the front door. Bianca had been correct about the music playing. The source was an old vinyl record player sitting on a night stand. The music was somewhat jazzy with an old feeling to it. Bianca could have sworn she had heard that voice somewhere before. It was clear that the singer was having a grand time singing, even it was clear he had just left for another man and Bianca imagined him charming all the women as he dwelled on it.

_I guess I'll have to change my plan,_

_I should have realized there'd be another man._

_I overlooked that point completely,_

_until the big affair began._

_Before I knew where I was at,_

_I found myself upon a shelf and that was that._

_I tried to reach the moon, but when I got there_

_All that i could get was the air._

_My feet are now back upon the ground,_

_and i;ve lost the one girl I found._

Bianca picked up the record sleeve and saw it was a picture of a handsome man with blue eyes in a gray suit and hat, smiling with out a care in the world and a giant crowd behind. At the top was the name was Frank Sinatra, the man in picture Bianca guessed, and words A Swingin' Affair! on the bottom. She held up the sleeve to the rest of the Hunters. Zoë motioned for her to lift the needle, which she did. The second she did, a voice barked from the bathroom.

"Alright I get it, Tobias. We don't have much time before they arrive" said the voice, "I'm just about done."

Zoë motioned for everyone not to answer and aimed her bow, the rest following her lead.

"I'm starting think maybe you were right about a haircut." said intruder as he emerged from the bathroom. "I must have had to use half a bottle of shampoo to get all the blood out of my — "

Artie, with a bath towel around his waist and his neck, froze like a deer in headlights when he saw the Hunters. " . . . hair."

"Why am I not surprised?" said Zoë.

"Well, if you — " Artie stopped when an arrow flew by his head, nicking his ear, and buried itself in the wall.

"Phoebe," said Zoë. "Patience is a virtue."

Phoebe glared as Zoë who returned it, daring her to question her authority. The rest simply stared daggers at Artie who was busy trying to thinking of what say that wouldn't result in his instant death. None came to mind, so made a play for time and hopefully something that would even the odds a little.

"Well, I suppose we could just sit in this room and glare at each other until somebody drops dead," he said, his eyes glancing around his quiver. "but I have a better idea."

A Hunter with red hair, Emily he remembered her name to be, held up his quiver. "Looking for something?"

_Caramba_, Artie thought to himself. "Any chance we can discuss this rationally and, more importantly and i can't stress this enough, without weapons?"

An arrow split the first next to his head.

"Do thee have any last words?" asked Zoë.

An empty coffee mug caught Artie's attention and glanced at the espresso machine. "How about a cup of coffee? I was planning on having some once I got out of the shower."

Zoë eyed the espresso machine with suspicion, "Very well."

Artie carefully walked to expression machine, he grabbed his cloak and said, "Just took a hot shower, I feel cold."

"We can remedy that." said Zoë. "Hurry up with thy coffee."

Artie filled his mug with trembling fingers and sipped it, "Care to try some?"

Hostile silence and glares were his only answer.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Its pure Brazilian. I have plenty. I keep a huge ten kilogram bag of the stuff right, HERE!"

Fast as lighting he kicked up the nearest bed, which served as the perfect impromptu shield for the Hunter's arrows. A second later, he tossed the mug over head and was rewarded with the yelps of Hunters being scalded with hot coffee. He used the distraction and ran across the cabin, diving out of the window as he thanked his luck it was open. He dissipated the force of the fall with roll and glanced back for a second. Three arrows seemed to sprout from the snow covered ground at his feet as he did. He saw three Hunters reaching more arrows when he bent down and threw snow in there faces. They dropped their bows as Artie took off north, heading and hoping to lose the world's greatest hunters in the forest, with only a cloak, his wits, and one damp bath towel.

* * *

_**(Presently)**_

Artie shook his head, "I didn't have the chance to tell them the good news."

"I will have to speak with them." said Chiron.

"Please do," said Mr. D. "and before we run out of windows."

That was when Grover trotted in, his face bruised and red from a slap. "The Hunters are moved in."

"Clearly." Chiron frowned. "Grover, why don't you take Nico and show him the orientation film."

"But . . . oh right, yes sir."

"Orientation film?" Nico asked. "Is it G or PG? 'Cause Bianca is kinda strict — "

"Its PG13." said Artie hastily as he walked to the unbroken window and peaked through the blinds.

"Cool!" exclaimed Nico.

It was then Grover noticed Artie peaking through the blinds.

He walked up to the window, "Did something happen? Why is there broken glass?"

Grover pulled down the blind when Thalia shouted, "Grover, no!"

In the blink of an eye, the blind shot up like rocket.

Artie turned and saw several Hunters switch from angry to absolutely furious when they saw him on the way back from the woods. "Grover, don't take this the wrong way, but," Artie glanced at Nico. " _Às vezes você está bastardo maior idiota de merda, que eu já tive a má sorte de ter encontrado."_

"What?" asked Nico. "Was that Spanish?"

"Portuguese." Artie corrected. "And what I just said was nowhere near PG13."


	6. The Way To A Man's Heart

Artie sat crossed leg on his bed, eyes hid behind his sunglasses and closed as he emptied his mind, or rather he tried to.

The constant noise from the Hunters cleaning the mess from his mad scramble was proving to be most irritating. In retrospect, it was far better than running around Camp Half Blood in a wet towel with the Hunters on his heels. Like he expected, they refused to accept his claims as the son of Artemis. If anything, it only added to their ever growing list of his insults to them and their goddess. So much so that Mr. D had been forced to temporarily bind them with magic grape vines as Chiron and Artie explained, swearing on the River Styx that their words were true, that as far fetched and ludicrous as it was, Artie was indeed the son of Artemis.

"Regardless of what you think is or isn't true," Chiron had said. "Lady Artemis claimed Artie as her own. That gives him every right to use cabin eight whenever he is in need of it."

After swearing reluctantly on the Styx, the Hunters allowed Artie to stay in cabin eight without the constant possiblity of having his throat slit in his sleep. Artie had done his best to put his best foot forward, allowing the Hunters use of his DVD collection and as much coffee and espresso as he had, but he was finding it difficult not to watch his back every other second. He was sure that they didn't believe Chiron, and especially him, that this boy of all people was the very first child of Artemis. He had refrained from explaining exactly how Artemis came to be his godly parent, despite several demands and vauge threats from Zoë, which did not aid his claims in the slightest.

Artie sighed and glanced around. All the Hunters were busy cleaning the cabin. Some swept and dusted while others mops and shined every nook and cranny. Artie held back a growl. After all his time in wild, often going days at a time without cleans clothes and bath, Artie prided himself on maintaining a spotless cabin. If one were to enter cabin eight while he wasn't present, you would have a difficult time concluding that anyone at all was living there. His bed would be made perfectly and all his clothes would be perfectly folded and cleaned in the trunk at the foot of his bed. The floor was kept spotless as well as the windows. He even dusted all the animal pelts and mounted heads. And during the spring and summer he hung herbs to dry them in the sun which not only used for curing meat, but added a delicate pleasant scent in the air. From what Percy had told him, parents prayed for all their children to be so neat and tidy. Yet, the air was filled with the scent of fake lemon and pine by the Hunters.

He leaned over the record player, selected a record from his small collection, and went about trying to calm himself with music. He closed his eyes and resumed his previous position as the music began to play, settling into a trance like state by the calming sound of one of his favorite artists, and one of the most famous children of Apollo, Bing Crosby. It was a standard of the time, but it had the sound and feel of a country song rather than a jazz or big band that the former member of the Ratpack had been known for.

_I'm coming home I've done my time_

_Now I've got to know what is or isn't mine_

_If you received my letter telling you I'd soon be free_

_Then you'll know just what to do if you still want me_

_If you still want me_

_Tie a yellow ribbon round the ole oak tree_

_It's been three long years do you still want me_

_If I don't see a ribbon round the ole oak tree_

_I'll stay on the bus forget about us put the blame on me_

_If I don't see a yellow ribbon — _

Zoë lifted the needle of the player, "We need to talk."

Artie held back another growl, "About?"

Zoë motioned to Artie. "Thy attire."

Artie looked down at his bare chest. He was still wearing his cloak, but no shirt or shoes. "Are cloaks already out?"

"Thy lack of garments on your uppermost is quite indecent." she said. "I would like thee remedy that at once."

Artie raised an eyebrow. It was somewhat of a game he and Zoë fallen into since she did not wish to admit that the Hunters had failed to capture a single demigod, therefore admitting that Artie could be the child of Artemis and an intelligent one at that. She would attempt to use as many complicated words and phrase to indirectly insult his intelligence. If for some reason he asked to her to simplify, it would be all she needed to confirm she was far more intelligent. Artie so far had stopped her by responding with as much elegance as he could. Granted he was cheating, using the vast collection of movie quotes at his disposal, but she didn't need to know that. He doubted Zoë had even seen a film in her life, so the chances of her calling him on it were slim to none.

"I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request." he responded with a line from Pirates of the Caribbean.

"May I ask why?"

Artie was about to answer when he saw Bianca struggling with a giant stack of old magazines. He sprung to help as she threaten to topple with it, "Here, let me get those for you."

Zoë seemed annoyed but simply walked away.

Bianca set her now smaller stack on Artie's bed, "Phoebe wanted me to get rid of these. I thought you might want to go through them before I did."

Artie picked up a magazine at random, "Go ahead, I was planning on getting rid of them eventually. Keep a few by the fireplace in case we need to start a fire."

"What kind of newspaper is it?" asked Bianca

"Its a trade paper." said Artie. "Its full of showbiz news. New coming movies, updates of ones in productions, and stuff like that."

"And the headlines?" She held one up. "Like this one, 'Hix Makes Pix, But The Flick Needs Fix' what does that even mean?"

"It just means someone made a movie that didn't do well in the box office." Artie explained. "A bomb is what they call it."

Bianca held up another issue, "The Veeps In Charge Are Now At Large."

"Veeps mean VIP's, or very important persons." he translated. " the rest means they all left the project."

"The plot conflicts, no beautiful chicks?"

"A badly written movie that probably coming out on video soon."

"A Boffo Smash Makes Warner Cash?

"A film did very well in the box office for Warner Bros. and there's probably going to be a sequel next year."

"You really love movies don't you?"

Artie gestured to his vast collection, "You could say that."

"But don't you ever do something else?" she asked.

"Well, i have been dabbling in poetry." He admitted. "I not very good at it though."

"Why poetry?"

Artie glanced at the Hunters, "A close friend said I was watching too many movies. She's the one who actually got suggested it in the first place. Do you want to hear it?"

"Alright."

"No laughing?"

"I promise."

Artie pulled out a notebook from the night stand drawer. "I couldn't think of a name, but I think I like Video Revue."

_Hey, look at this hoard!_

_There's movies galore!_

_I've seen 'em a thousand times over before_

_And that's why my brain doesn't work anymore._

"He finally admits it." pointed out Zoë

Artie ignored the ribbing and continued.

_"The Player" is a movie about finding fresh new scripts_

_Like Rambo three, and Rocky five, and Star Trek Number six._

_Eva joined with Zsa Zsa and they formed a "Sister Act"_

_But both were "Unforgiven" because neither one could act._

_"The Hand That Rocked The Cradle" once belonged to "Hook", you see_

_But it got bored and so it joined "The Addams Family"._

_"Amadeus" was a genius, "Beethoven" was a dog_

_The "Muppet Family Christmas" Is about a pig and frog._

_There was a sled named Rosebud and a "Citizen" named "Kane"_

_He rode it 'til the snow was melted, now he's "Singin' In The Rain"._

_The "Princess Bride" got married to the handsome "Prince Of Tides"_

_Which now makes her dad, "The Fisher King", The "Father Of The Bride"._

_And pretty soon you'll find them all inside the "TV Guide"_

_Along with all the stars you like to see!_

_Like Hitchcock and Spielberg and Oliver Stone, _

_Shirley MacLaine and Sylvester Stallone._

_Francis Ford Coppola, Hepburn and Tracy_

_Robert Zemeckis and Martin Scorcese_

_Clint Eastwood, John Wayne, Woody Allen and Mia_

_Robert Deniro and Andy Garcia._

_Sophia Loren, Barbra Streisand, Joan Crawford_

_Paul Newman, Rock Hudson, Spike Lee, Peter Lawford._

_Jack Nicholson, Brando, and Marilyn Monroe . . ._

"And that's all I got." said Artie. "Took me the better part of five months to write though."

"That's pretty good." said Bianca. "Though I don't know half the people you mentioned."

"Weird, I made sure to stick to big name everyone should know." said Artie. "Thirsty?"

"Sure."

Artie moved a loose floorboard just under his bed and produced two cold classic coke bottles. "Here."

"Thanks." Bianca looked at the bottle. "Got a bottle opener?"

"Here, hand it over."

Artie extended his claws and popped the cap before handing it back and popping his own.

"Nice trick." Bianca took a sip. "Can all demigods do that?"

"Nope, just me."

"Not even the Hunters?"

"Not unless I have a sister I don't know about."

"Aww." Bianca pouted playfully.

"Trust me, its not all you think it is." Artie took another sip of his coke. "Took me forever to control it."

"Really?"

Artie nodded. "I can't tell how many times I cut myself when I first got them."

"Hey, Bianca." called Phoebe. "We need your help over here."

Bianca sighed but smiled, "Looks my coffee break is over."

"You could go for a smoke break."

She chuckled, "I'm good. Thanks though, and thanks for the coke."

Artie inclined his head, "Anytime."

Artie was busy sorting through his record collection when Zoë approached, "Zoë, I'm staying shirtless as long as it suits me. So don't even bother asking again."

"I'm merely curious."

"It called a record player."

"I was under the impression thee dispiesed the Hunters. Yet, thee was quite friendly with Bianca."

"I don't hate the Hunters." Artie picked up a record and blew off the dust. "It just so happens that a large portion of the Hunters is made up of people I hate."

"I'm not sure I understand thee."

"Unlike the you or the rest of Hunters, Bianca hasn't given me a reason to hate her, or even dislike her."

"Are thee implying she eventually will?"

"Unless she becomes less open minded, I doubt it."

Artie set the record on the player and once again, sat cross legged and breathed deeply as he emptied his mind. The music aided greatly in drowning out the noise and voices from the Hunters. Zoë glanced at the sleeve and saw it had the picture of the same man that had playing when they first entered, Frank Sinatra. Overhead read, Sinatra's Swinging Sessions. She listened and found it was somewhat enjoyable, very unlike the music Artie had played when he drove off the cliff earlier that day. A piano played gently as it was accompanied by a large band as the singer, Frank Sinatra she assumed, crooned and sang.

_Blue Moon_

_You saw me standing alone_

_Without a dream in my heart_

_Without a love of my own_

_Blue Moon_

_You know just what I was there for_

_You heard me saying a prayer for_

_Someone I really could care for_

_And then there suddenly appeared before me_

_The only one my arms will hold_

_I heard somebody whisper please adore me_

_And when I looked to the Moon it turned to gold_

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Zoë briefly wondered if Grover had returned, but went to answer it anyway. The second she opened the door, Zoë was ambushed. Her attacker had thick wavy black hair tied back into a ponytail. She was wearing a ski jacket, jeans, snow boots, a red Santa hat on her head, and carried a large bag on her hip. She had a bright smile as she embraced Zoë in a powerful bear hug.

"Surprise!" she exclaimed planting a kiss on Zoë's cheek.

"I'll say," said Artie trying not laugh. "Something you wanna tell me? Cause now I think you were just leading me on."

Appolonia opened her eyes and saw Artie sitting on his bed, "But if you're there, then who's . . . "

Zoë wriggled in Appolonia's hug, "Would thee please release me."

Appolonia released Zoë and looked away embarrassed, "Sorry."

Zoë wiped her cheek, "Who art thou?"

Appolonia looked at Artie, "Who is this?"

Artie smiled and quote Singing in the Rain once more, "Oh, someone lofty and far above us."

Zoë flashed an annoyed look at Artie before she spoke to Appolonia, "I am Zoë Nightshade, lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis."

Artie got up and embraced Appolonia, "Not that I mind, but how did you get here?"

Appolonia returned the hug, "My dad said you got hurt again and you might need some help while you recovered. So he gave me a ride."

"Bruno or Apollo?"

"Apollo. How would Bruno know?"

"True."

"Excuse me," said Zoë to Appolonia. "But I ask thee again, who art thou?"

Appolonia held out a hand, "Appolonia Rosa Reyes."

"A daughter of Apollo." said Zoë shaking her hand.

"Yes."

"And thy purpose for visiting cabin eight."

"Well, I wanted to see if Artie was alright."

Zoë paused, "What is thy relationship to Artie?"

Appolonia frowned slightly, "He's my boyfriend."

Everyone froze as Zoë took back her hand. She looked at Artie who seemed perfectly calm, "Does thy insults ever cease?"

Artie's voice was calm but full of warning, "Zoë . . . "

"Thy claim to be a child of Artemis and yet thee leads a maiden astray?" Zoë leveled a finger at him. "As her child, you owe respect to her — "

"_Devo-lhe nada_!" Artie leveled a finger back at Zoë. "Insult her again and — "

"Insult her?" Zoë demanded. "It is thee who insults her by — "

Appolonia wordlessly excused herself as she sat on Artie's bed as her boyfriend and this strange girl, who spoke she was in a Shakespeare play, continued shouting at each other. A young girl joined her as Artie slipped into Portuguese and Zoë into ancient Greek. She introduced herself as Bianca, as well as a Hunter, and shook Apollonian hand. Appolonia hoped that Bianca wasn't about to start yelling at her.

Appolonia motioned to Artie and Zoë. "Whats with them?"

Bianca shrugged, "I don't know. Artie was pretty calm a minute ago."

Appolonia considered something, "They didn't start fighting until I said 'boyfriend', why would that make her mad?"

"The Hunters give up any and all romantic ties with boys in exchange for immortality with Lady Artemis." Bianca explained. "I think Zoë thought that as a child of Artemis, Artie would do the same."

"No romantic ties with boys?" Appolonia repeated. "As far as I know, he hasn't, otherwise we need to have a serious talk."

Bianca smiled, "I just hope he doesn't go all snarly and crazy like when he fought Dr. Thorn."

Appolonia eye grew wide, "What?"

"When he fought Dr. Thorn, who turned be a manticore, he just snapped." Bianca shivered at the memory. "He just started snarling and growling like animal. His eyes went red and his nails grew into claws. He even went down on all fours like an animal."

Appolonia opened her bag and reached inside, "This is not good. Zoë doesn't know what she's doing."

Appolonia pulled out a brown paper bag and rushed to Artie. They had finally switched back to english, though thier anger had only grown since then.

"Is that a challenge?" Zoë demanded.

"No!" sneered Artie. "A challenge would imply you actually stand a chance!"

"I seem to recall thee running like a frighten rabbit when the Hunters first entered."

"And I recall those same Hunters being unable to track a half naked demigod in the snow." Appolonia held the bag under Artie nose. "I'll be damned if I let you or . . . what smells . . . so . . . delicious?" Artie looked down at the bag. "Is that what i think it is?"

Appolonia shook the bag and smiled. "Wasabi Salmon Sushi from Yojimbo's, your favorite." Artie glanced at Zoë. "Calm down and its yours."

He snatched the bag from her, sat on his bed, and began eating without a word.

"Did thee just distract him with raw fish?" asked an astonished Zoë.

Appolonia motioned for Zoë to follow her outside, "We need to talk. There's something you don't know about him."

* * *

"What do thee mean, he can't control himself?" asked Zoë.

"I mean, he isn't in complete control of his emotions." Appolonia explained. "When he was in the Sea of Monsters, Artie and Percy were turned into animals. But for some reason, something went wrong when it happened to Artie." She glanced through the window at Artie throwing sushi in the air and catching it in his mouth. "I'm not sure how or why, but his personality mixed with that of his inner animal."

"What is it?" asked Zoë as she too glanced as Artie.

"A jaguar." said Appolonia. "And a really aggressive one at that."

"How serious is this ailment?"

"So far he threw a student I was tutoring through a window and sent a purse snatcher to the emergency room." She told her. "It took a while, but he's easier to deal with when he's got a full stomach. But if you keep making him angry, not all the food in world is going to stop him."

"And there is no cure?"

"According to Chiron, there isn't one. He has learn to control himself the hard way."

"That seems easier said than done."

Appolonia nodded reluctantly, "It doesn't help that he's also depressed."

"Depressed? He seems quite content now. How can thee tell?"

Appolonia glanced through the window again, "To anyone else, he is. Its subtle, but I know. Its the little things. His choice of music for one thing."

"Do thee mean his interest in Frank Sinatra?"

She shook her head, "No. He listens to him all the time, but its the song he listens to. Blue Moon was playing when I came in, right?"

"The song referred to it, yes."

"Listen to the lyrics." she told Zoë. "Its a play on words, since blue is also the color of melancholy, and indeed the narrator is sad and lonely until he finds love."

Zoë scoffed at the word love, "While I'm willing to grant that he has an excellent talent for song, like all children of Apollo, I dislike that almost all of his music implies one cannot find true happiness without love."

Appolonia chose not to point out that that particular child of Apollo did not write his songs, but performed standards of the time. "Has he been listening to anything else?"

Zoë thought for a moment. "Another child of Apollo. Bing Crosby, I think. He and other children of Apollo formed a famous group, The Ratpack I think."

"What song?"

"I'm not sure, but it made references to tying a yellow ribbon to an old tree?"

"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree."

"Yes, that was it. What is its meaning?"

"A yellow ribbon became widely known in 1970s as a reminder that an absent loved one, either in the military or in jail, would be welcomed home on their return." She explained. "Basically its another depressing song, until the end of it anyway."

"I see."

"Look, I'm not sure what problems he has with you or the rest of the Hunters, but I think its best you avoid each other."

"And how do thee suggest we accomplish that? We are already forced to share cabin eight."

"I'll try to keep him busy outside of the cabin as much as I can, but you and the rest of the Hunters need to give him space when I can't."

"I think we can do that, or try at least. I will inform the Hunters."

"Don't tell them everything. Please, he really hates it when people feel sorry for him."

Zoë rolled her eyes, "Very well, I will instruct them to give him space and nothing more."

"Thank you."

"Perhaps I misjudged you, Appolonia." Zoë handed her silver business card. "If thee ever wishes to join the Hunters of Artemis, know thee would be welcomed with open arms."

Zoë reentered Cabin Eight.

_Sorry, he's lost his mother, his brother, even his childhood, and now a one his closest friends. I don't think he can take it if he lost anyone else._ Appolonia crumbled the card, tossed it in the snow, and walked inside. "Hey, Artie put on a shirt. Beckondorf said he has something for you."

* * *

_**A/N** - In regards to Artie's poem, you can thanks the brilliant writers of Animanics. If there ever could be children of Apollo, it would these guys. Here's the link and you can see exactly how they play with films and their titles and make the show hilarious._

_ /oPBMMqxl-BU_


	7. Thalia and Percy Kill Artie

Artie was somewhat in high spirits.

Appolonia had somehow struck a deal with the Hunters. For the most part they left him alone and he did the same, except for Bianca. Like he told Zoë, Bianca hadn't given him a reason to dislike her and he doubted she would. As much he liked her, Artie didn't want Zoë to give her a hard time. So he spent as much time as he could outside of Cabin Eight which was luckily easy for him. As fate would have it, Beckendorf did have something for Artie, his moonsilver armor. It was near completed. All Artie had to do was put it together attaching and separating the metal with layers of leather. He didn't want to, nor could he, use common leather. He required cured dragon hide for the armor to at its optimal level. Luckily Artie had plenty of experience in tracking and hunting dragon in the camp's forest, but unluckily for him dragon hide is incredibly tough. So much in fact, most simply shaped it and dipped it into wax so it would hold its shape. The problem it become more of a hard shell that refused to bend and flex. Artie had a simple plan to save time and effort. Curing hides required soaking the hides in highly acidic concoctions. Rather than soak the hide multiple times, he would just make the concoction so acidic it would eat through bone.

He had not returned to Cabin Eight the night Appolonia had arrived and went straight to his cave. Since leather working was involved using highly noxious liquids and was quite a noxious process itself, Artie did all of his leather working in a cave that was deep in the woods. He carried the moonsilver pieces to his cave and then hunted for a dragon. It was quite easy tracking a giant lizard in the snow and felled a young male in an hour. He dragged it to the cave, skinned it, and began preparing the hide to be cured. He soaked, pounded, then draped it over a boulder and scraped with a dull knife. Normally he would have to take care not to tear the skin, but dragon hide could take a little punishment. He had to be sure no meat or fat clung to the leather, it would only cause me misery later if he didn't.

Then it was time tan the leather. He punched wooden stakes at intervals around the edges of the hide and drove them into the ground. He made certain not to stretch the hide beyond its original size. He didn't want to stretch the hide, just keep it from shrinking. Using a combination of several smooth and rough stones, a dull knife, and straight razor he used for shaving, he scraped the skin to get every bit of meat or fat off he missed the first time including the tiny veins that clung to the surface of the skin. As he did this, he heated a large cast iron pot. This pot was filled with a mixture of the dragon's brain, Dragon urine from its bladder, dragon stomach acid, centaur blood donated by Chiron, dragon bile, several bottles of Olympus strength vinegar from Mr.D , and fresh spring water. He placed the hide in a stone basin and poured the vile noxious mixture of dragon body fluid over it. He then slid a slab, drilled with holes, on top of it like a lid and lit a small fire around it. The fire would slowly heat the stone and boil the hide in the broth over the course of eight hours. Once the last drop of body fluid had evaporated, he'd soak the hide in warm water overnight. Since the water had to be maintained warm, he stayed out and kept a fire going. Missing meals was not an issue as he had several pound of dragon meat to sate his ravenous hunger and he could melt snow for coffee and water when he was thirsty. He used the downtime to make a leather sheath and belt for his Kopis, using cured deerskin he dyed black last summer. He even had time to add several pouches and clips to it for various tools or weapons. Thalia's comment about his cloak remind her of Batman had given him an idea. If he looked like an ancient Greek version of the dark knight, then he should have a utility belt.

When dawn broke, he removed the hide from the water bath. Using his 'graining' tools, a wooden wedge and a blunt sharpen stick two inches in diameter, Artie restaked the hide and used the wedge to ooze the water out of the hide. He did this until he could not get any more water out of the skin. Then he took the blunt stick grainer and worked every inch of the hide. The object was to stretch and loosen every inch of the hide while it is drying. Once it seemed dry, he unstaked it. He drew a knife from his belt and cut away the edges with the stake holes, since there were areas one couldn't scrape well. He carried the hide outside and looped it over a branch tied between two trees and began to pull it back and forth. This would stretch the hide and the heat and friction would aid in drying the hide farther while breaking up the grain farther. Once he finished, Artie used a smooth stone to rub any imperfect areas. Now the hide was complete, but required one more step. The hide would become stiff and brittle if water fell onto it. So he made a make a tripod of sticks and draped the hide over a small smudge fire. He smoked the hide until it became a dark shade of green, turning it over several time so the smoke to penetrated all the way through the hide.

It when he was just finishing that Appolonia, Thalia, and Percy emerged from the woods. Artie greeted them with a wave and a smile as he kicked snow over the fire. Once they neared, all of them made a face as thier eyes began to water and began coughing and gagging.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Thalia covered her nose to ease her coughing, "What died?"

Percy buried his nose in his jacket, "The Fields of Punishment don't smell this bad."

"¿_Cómo pueden soportarlo_?" demanded Appolonia.

"Oh, right." Artie removed a small metal tin from a pouch he hung at his belt and tossed it to his friends. "Here, rub it under your nose."

Thalia caught the tin and opened it. She took a dollop the size of penny on her finger and smeared the cream under her nose. She handed the tin to Percy and Appolonia for them to do the same. The cream did not completely erase the smell, but aided greatly in stopping their stomachs from purging themselves. Their coughing subsided but their eyes continued to water.

"Sorry about that." He said kicking snow over the smoking fire. "But its the whole reason I do this so deep in the woods."

"I don't know why I'm asking," said Percy. "But what was that."

Artie slipped the tin back in the pouch. "A mixture of Vick's Vapor Rub, eucalyptus oil, honey, and lots lemon and orange zest."

"No, I mean the smell." said Percy.

"The reason why even today that leather working isn't allowed within a town's limit." Artie explained. "That was just from one small pot. Imagine several hundred vats of the stuff."

Thalia shuddered at the thought, "I don't even know how you stand it with your nose."

Artie shrugged, "You get used to it eventually. I've stopped using that cream a while ago."

"What have you been doing out here?" asked Appolonia. "You weren't at lunch or dinner yesterday."

"And breakfast today either." added Thalia.

Artie jerked a thumb behind him. "Beckendorf finished my armor, but I need to put it together."

Percy glanced at the armor shaped pieces of moonsilver, "You haven't even started."

"Hey!" Artie snapped. "Do you have any idea how hard Dragon hide is to work with?" Artie began counting on hand. "Not only did I have to find, kill, and skin a dragon. I had to make the broth so acidic that he could eat through bone. Hollow out a boulder and drill holes in a slab to boil the hide in the broth for eight hours. Then simmer it overnight in water over a low well kept fire before I could wring it dry and stretch it while I did." Artie motioned to the remnants of the fire and tripod. "I was just finishing smoking it so it would get stiff if it got wet when you got here. So you'll excuse me if I take a small break before I get to the rest."

"Sorry man." said Percy. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"Oh don't mind him." assured Appolonia. "He gets a little cranky when he doesn't eat."

"Ahem," Artie coughed as he pointed to the pile of bones that certain belonged to a giant lizard. "I had plenty to eat. A little gamey, but I've had worse."

"You ate a whole dragon?" asked Thalia.

Artie chuckled and patted his stomach. "It was a small one. I didn't want to take down a full grown dragon. It would have been too much meat and it would have spoiled."

"Well, I say its time you took a break." said Appolonia. "You've been working too long and hard."

Artie suppressed a giggle as well Thalia and Percy.

"Oh, grow up!" she snapped turning crimson.

They all began walking back toward the cabin. As they did, Percy explained his dream about Annabeth, Luke, and the crumbling cave. Artie wasn't sure what it meant, but he was sure of a few things. Annabeth was alive, but in danger. Luke had placed her there. And if Annabeth was alive, then Thorn had to be.

"Zoë had a similar dream." said Percy.

"How do you know?" asked Artie.

"Grover told me." explained Percy. "He was sleeping outside of Cabin Eight."

"But she dreamed your mother was in trouble." added Thalia.

"She's not my — " Artie caught himself. "You mean Artemis? Trouble how?"

Thalia shrugged. "Like she was lost."

"Well, Hermes is the god of travelers." Artie said.

"She means taken." Percy elaborated. "Kidnapped."

"Did you talk to Zoë?" asked Artie.

Percy frowned and did not answer.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Grover found this in Annabeth's pack." Appolonia handed Artie a Hunter's brochure. "The night you met in Westover. Grover thinks they might have been scouting you guys or . . . "

"Annabeth was thinking of joining." said Artie flatly.

Appolonia jumped in front of him. "Hold it right there!"

"What?" asked Thalia.

"I know that look." Appolonia warned Artie. "That's your 'I'm going kill something with my bare hands' look."

Artie took a deep breath and looked back at her. "And now?"

Appolonia didn't buy it. "What are you going to do?"

Artie considered it for a moment. "About Annabeth possibly joining the Hunters? Nothing."

Percy, Thalia, and Appolonia all said, "Nothing?"

"As much I'd prefer she didn't, its her choice." Artie explained. "But she not stupid enough to join because of boy problems. I'm curious why she would consider it, if Zoë hadn't offered first sometime during the year."

"You mean she might not have even been considering it in the first place?" asked Thalia.

Artie nodded, "I spent two weeks with the Hunters during my quest. Zoë hands out those brochures and cards like candy. Pan would probably have a word with her about littering."

Appolonia nodded, "I guess that would explain why she gave me one."

Artie stopped so suddenly, they continued on for a few steps before looking back, "SHE WHAT?"

At his shout, countless critters scattered to get away. Dozen of small birds flew out of trees. Squirrels ran down tree trunk and skittered away while others leaped from branch to branch. Several rabbits came out from the brush and scampered frantically in all directions. All them scared of the possible, if not clearly furious, demigod. Percy and Thalia wondered if Artie would enter his feral state again, but just as quickly, he relaxed and continued walking.

"Artie?" Appolonia walked alongside to read his face. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." he grunted. "Never better."

"You're not mad?" asked Thalia.

"Not at all." Artie even smiled.

Percy didn't believe him for a second. This calm air Artie was putting on was, what meteorologist refereed to as, the calm before the storm. Artie was so beyond furious, he had done a full rotation of emotion and came back at calm and happy. This creeped Percy out a little, but was glad that he entered his feral state.

"What are you going to do?" Percy asked quietly.

"Well, first I'm going to take a long hot shower. I smell like a sewer after curing that dragon hide." Artie tilted his head as considered the rest. "Then a nice lunch. I'm in the mood for some soup, French Onion perhaps."

"French Onion?" Percy wasn't sure he heard right.

"Or Minestrone." added Artie. "I'm not sure yet."

"That's it?" hoped Appolonia.

"Oh, yeah." he snapped his fingers like he just remembered something important. "Then I'm going to find Zoë, reach into her chest, pull out her heart, and eat in front of it her."

That was when Thalia threw herself on top of Artie. He landed face first in the snow as she grabbed his arms and bent them upward. Thalia knew if Artie took off no one could catch him, but even a child of Hermes could restrain him. Still, that didn't stop Artie from trying to get free.

"I'm not gonna let up until you calm down." said Thalia.

"Who's side are you on?" demanded Artie.

"You said it yourself." said Appolonia. "She gives those things out like candy."

"Its different!" he snapped.

"Look, Artie I know how you feel." said Percy calmly. "But you can't kill Zoë. For one thing the Hunters will kill you and we need you to find Annabeth. If anyone besides Artemis can, its you."

Thalia looked at Percy, "He tried already. Thorn left no trail for us to follow." She looked down at Artie. "Right?"

"He didn't, but Artemis will." said Artie. "Let me up and I'll explain."

Thalia hesitated but let him up. "Alright, explain."

"Its a hunting technique." Artie brushed the snow off. "If you can't find a trail for your prey then hunt your prey's natural predator."

"I don't understand." said Percy.

"Yeah, not all of us hunt." added Thalia.

Artie sighed. "You said Thorn mentioned bringing about the fall of Olympus and when you told Artemis, she went hunting for an old monster."

"Yeah, but she went looking for a monster, not Annabeth." Percy said.

"I know Thorn." Artie's voice was calm but cold. "He'll hold a grudge against the Hunters and me. And what better way to hurt the Hunters than to hurt Artemis."

"But Artemis is a god." Appolonia pointed out. "She can't be killed."

"Immortality means no death, not no pain." Artie explained. "The gods can still feel pain." Artie thought how he would do it. "She'll be somewhat of an easy target. She'll be focused on following the monster's trail and not care about leaving her own. After all, who would be dumb enough to hunt a goddess?"

"And how does finding Artemis help us find Annabeth." asked Thalia.

"While Thorn hunts Artemis, we'll hunt him."Artie explained. "Then its just a matter of making him talk."

"I get it." Percy smiled. "We just pull the same trick he is, but instead of Artemis, we capture Thorn."

"That might actually work." admitted Thalia. "But Chiron won't let us. If he won't let Zoë and the Hunters leave, he definatly won't let us."

"Last time I checked," Appolonia said. "None of you are year round campers."

"She has a point." Artie pointed out. "We were only there to bring back the Di Angelos. After that we should be free to leave. To be honest, I was gonna leave today, but then Beckendorf had finished my armor and Appolonia arrived."

"How soon can you finish it?" Thalia asked eagerly.

"I should be finished by tonight. The hard part was curing the hide, the rest I can do in a couple of hours. I could probably finish it during the capture the flag game with the Hunters."

"Do that." said Thalia. "I have a feeling we might have to sneak out if Chiron says no to the quest."

Artie nodded. "Alright, but first things first." He tapped his Kopis that hung in a leather sheath on his belt

Thalia tried tackle Artie but he simply moved to the side. "Not this time."

Appolonia stood in front of him, "I told her no. You don't have to kill her."

"Alright, but I was going to the training arena." Artie told them. "I need some practice with this."

* * *

"What do you mean Clarisse is missing?" Artie demanded.

The Ares camper yawned. "Went on a quest for Chiron. Haven't heard from her in a month."

"She okay?" he asked.

"Don't know."

Artie walked the steps of the Ares cabin and joined his friends. "_Você deve estar brincando comigo."_

"What?" asked Thalia.

Artie shook his head, "Clarisse went on a mission for Chiron and hasn't been heard from in a month."

"You don't think she's been kidnapped too?" said Appolonia.

"I doubt it." answered Percy. "I hate to admit it, but it would take a lot to take her down."

"The one time I actually need a favor from her and she's gone." Artie sighed. "Thalia, how good are you with hand to hand combat?"

"Why do you ask?"

"I'm not much of a swordsman." he admitted. "Hell, I'm not that good at close combat period. I need someone to teach me how use the Kopis. All Artemis told was that it works like a machete."

"Why not Percy?" wondered Appolonia. "Everyone knows he's the best fighter we have."

"You haven't seen me fight." said Thalia.

"I don't care who." Artie continued to the training arena. "I'll be at the arena when you decide."

Artie found himself a training dummy and began hacking at it. He swung the sword at different angles as he tried to get a feel for it. Even to his inexperienced eye, he knew something was wrong. He looked at it and mentally measured the blade to be just under two feet. He was grateful for a weapon other than his claws, but he wished he still had his bolo knives. Those, at least, had some experience and perhaps even some talent. Then he got an idea. Rather than holding the blade upward like a traditional sword, he pointed it down like he had with his knives. It somehow felt more natural. He was about to experiment when he heard and smelt Thalia coming up behind him. He turned to see Percy was with her, while Appolonia sat on the bleachers that surrounded the arena.

"We agreed." said Thalia.

"We'll both teach you." said Percy.

Artie glanced down at the Kopis, curious to try it with a familiar grip. "Where do we start?"

"Well, from what Percy's told me. You're not that strong, but good luck to anyone who can see you coming."

"Luke said the same thing when he taught me," Artie admitted. "Though he said it was important for me to learn proper fighting than to focus on my speed."

"Not nessasarly." Thalia corrected. "All the fancy moves in the world won't help, if you're too slow to react. That's you're advantage."

"So he needs to aim for vital parts." added Percy. "Like major arteries and stuff?"

Thalia nodded, "With the right moves, Artie could take down multiple opponents before they even have a chance to draw their swords." Thalia rested her hand on a mock sword. "I'm going to draw this as fast as I can. I want you to force the sword back in the scabbard, okay?"

Artie sheathed his Kopis, "Alright."

Percy watched as Thalia managed to draw the sword an inch before Artie materialized in front her. He forced the sword back with his right hand and held his left under her throat, his claws half an inch from her skin.

"Whoa," said Thalia. "You are fast. But — " Thalia kicked her right leg up, hooking Artie's left leg, and sent him to the ground. "You leave yourself open."

Percy got an idea, "Hey, Thalia. You know any, what's the word?, surprise moves?"

"Surprise moves?"

"Yeah, " Percy nodded. "Moves that throw you off balance. Annabeth told me its the only way she managed to beat any of the Ares campers."

Thalia smiled, "Only Athena herself could have thought that. Yeah, I know a few moves."

From there Thalia taught a few simple moves. Using Percy as a mock opponent to demonstrate. Artie learned quickly and found he enjoyed it. Like Percy had said, all of them were meant to throw much larger, and likely to be stronger, opponents off balance and create openings. Either to finish off, or in Artie's case, give him time to create distance and use his bow. It suited Artie perfectly. Since most of them required speed and not power, the only problem was knowing which techniques to use in combat. Thalia assured that was what their ADHD was for, granted Artie didn't have ADHD, but with his speed he doubted it would make a difference. Thalia also assured that with his speed, Artie could take out multiple opponents, even if they were better armed than him. She decided to demonstrate this. She and Percy would be each armed with a sword, a shield, and a knife. While Artie had a single sword. Since she wanted Artie to go for the kill, all weapons would be mock wood with the edges painted red so they would know where the blades would have hit. They also agreed once a weapon or shield was dropped, it could not be used again.

Artie stood ready, his mock Kopis held down like a knife, with Percy and Thalia only a few feet away from him. Percy charged swinging his mock sword left, right, forward, and backward. With cool calm practice Artie stepped back twisting his torso left and right, waiting for the right moment. Then it came. As Percy delivered a backhand swing, Artie grabbed his wrist with his right hand, the one that gripped his mock Kopis, and pulled hard. Like Thalia had shown him, Percy stumbled allowing Artie smash his right elbow into Percy;s before slashing the side of his neck barely a half second afterward. Percy dropped his sword and was now left with a knife and shield. Artie hardly managed the time to grin before he felt something fly through the air behind him. Instinctively, he moved just as Thalia's mock sword left a red gash across Percy's back. Now he had Thalia to deal with and she was, in Artie's opinion, the more experience and brutal fighter. She alternated her strikes between her sword and shield, showing how versatile the shield could be in offense and defense. Like before he stepped back and twisted his torso left to right. But she was different than Percy and attacked both his legs and head, forcing him to duck and weave as moved back. Then he saw another chance and went for it. As Thalia slashed diagonally downward, Artie went over her forearm and under just above her elbow with his right arm. Using her momentum, he moved to the side and pushed as he swept his leg under hers and sent her to the floor. Like Percy, Thalia dropped her sword. Then he felt something glide across his back before he felt jab him. Artie dove forward and turned to see Percy, he had just slashed and stabbed his back. Had this been a real fight, Artie would have been severely injured, perhaps even fatal.

He made a mental note to be more careful.

Percy helped Thalia to her feet and charge Artie again, this time with only a knife and shield. Artie prepared himself and saw Percy was holding the knife downward, the way he did to slash and stab. Though he guessed Percy was not expert knife fight like Annabeth, Artie knew to be careful. Like Thalia had done earlier, Percy began slashing and stabbing, using his shield in between blows. Like usual, Percy was finding it difficult to hit his mark. Quick as lightning, just as Percy went to strike with his shield, Artie went on the offensive. He slipped his Kopis just below Percy's rib, or would have if the blade had been real, placed his right leg behind Percy's, and kicked back hard. This used Percy's own weight against him and sent him to the floor. Artie then quickly slashed and left a red stain below his collarbone. In the fall, Percy had lost his shield. In his haste, Artie had forgotten about Thalia was rewarded with red gash from a slash and a painful jab on his sternum.

He cursed himself.

For the second time, had this been a real fight he would have died.

She charged for the third time, rather than do what he had been since the beginning, Artie tried something new. As went to strike with her shield, Artie rammed hard against it. It was nowhere near enough to send flying into the wall, but was sufficient in causing her to stumble backward. Ignoring the pain his shoulder, Artie turned so his back was against Thalia's front, grabbed her right arm that gripped her knife, and pulled forward. When she first taught him, Artie thought he would not have enough strength perform it, but Thalia explained how it was possible. The opponent's arm, in this case Thalia's, would serve as a lever while his back would serve as a pivot point. The stability and reasonable strength of Artie's back would allow him throw a heavier opponent, provided the opponent's weight was not in the quadruple digits, rather than in a move that required him to lift. So using that same technique, Artie threw Thalia over his shoulder and to the ground, causing her to also lose her shield.

Artie turned just in time to stop Percy. Like Thalia had warned countless times, he didn't block the knife in Percy's hand, but rather blocked Percy's wrist with his own. Following up, Artie rushed forward and placed his free hand on Percy's chest,as he hooked his leg behind Percy's knee, and shoved hard. Once again, Percy was thrown off balance and was sent to the floor. Artie then dove on top and painted a red line on Percy's throat. Artie had, theoretically, killed Percy and turned this two on one mock fight into a one one mock fight. This went through his head just before he felt a painful jab between the base of his neck and shoulder. He rolled forward to avoid anymore strikes. He turned and saw that, for the forth and frustrating time, he had let his guard down and would have died had the weapons been real. He snarled in frustration and charged, but Thalia had planned head. She saw how frustrated Artie had become each time he received a strike and used it against him. As Artie charged, Thalia fell back as she stuck out her leg. Artie saw what she was planning and slid to a stop. But the wet ground proved to be his undoing as well as his anger. He slid right into her as she grabbed his shirt and her leg drove right into his midsection. Using Artie's momentum, Thalia fell back and sent Artie flying over her. As Artie landed, Thalia sprung to her feet with surprising agility, ran to Artie, and slit his throat.

"_Danação_!" he curse and pounded his fist on the ground.

"Not bad." Thalia helped Artie to his feet with an impressed smile. "But lets try that again. This time try to keep moving."

Percy pushed himself up, rubbing below his ribs. "Any chance we can take a break?"

Then suddenly a conch horn blew, signaling the campers to lunch.

Thalia chuckled, "Alright, but we'll pick up right after lunch."

They quickly wiped off the red lipstick and returned the mock weapons to the racks. Appolonia joined them and began fussing over Artie, checking to see if had sustain any injuries, no mater how minor. Artie had an idea and fell to the floor.

"Artie!" Appolonia cradled his head in her arms. "What happened? Are you alight"

Artie gripped the front of her shirt and pulled her closer. He slipped into a hillbilly accent. "Hold me closer, Ed, it's getting dark."

"What?" Appolonia looked at Percy and Thalia, both who shrugged.

Artie pretended to cough before he continued the accent. "Tell Auntie Em to let Old Yeller out"

"Old Yeller?" asked Thalia. "That sounds famila — "

Artie interrupted with another bout of coughing. He then slipped into a cockney accent. "Tell Tiny Tim I won't be coming home this Christmas."

"I think you threw him to hard, Thalia." said Percy sounding concerned and confused.

Artie coughed once more. This time he sounded like Sean Connery, "Tell Scarlett I do give a damn."

Artie then pulled Appolonia close and planted a big wet kiss on her lips. Then he burst out laughing, not caring that Appolonia dropped his head on the ground and stomped off towards the dining pavilion. Thalia and Percy just stared as Artie got up and brushed the snow of his shirt, chuckling to himself as he did.

"What was that about?" asked Percy.

"Quoting The Mask." Artie explained.

"A movie?" asked Thalia.

"Yeah"

"No,I mean why did you do that?" Percy explained.

"What can I say?" Artie winked as quoted the move once more, slipping into a thick french accent. "Our love is like a red, red rose . . . and I am a little thorny."


	8. The Master's Forge

"Artie?" said Appolonia

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure you want me to use this?" Appolonia held up his magic quiver.

"I'm not going to need it just sitting here." Artie gestured to the cave they were standing in. "Plus, since you refuse to sit this one out, I'll be able to keep my mind on my work."

"You could join in." she suggested. "Just this once."

Artie shook his head. "If it was anyone but them, I might. But I need to finish the armor."

"Alright." she sighed. "I'd better get going."

"Wait, take this too." He draped his cloak around her. "Use the white side, the black side will make you too much of a target."

"But — "

"They won't expect any of the campers to use camouflage, at least not good camouflage. You remember how to cover your tracks?

"Yes, but — "

"Remember, stealth is your greatest weapon. They can't fight you if they don't know you're there."

"Alright, but do you really think this is necessary?"

"Prepare for the worst and hope for the best." He kissed her cheek. "You'd better get going."

She returned the kiss, "Thanks."

Artie watched her jog off into the forest just as conch horn blew, signaling the start of the Capture the Flag game against the Hunters. Artie lit a fire to warm the cave and began to put the armor together. He did a quick assessment of the pieces. There were two sets of everything. One large and one small. The smaller would be the inner layer while the larger would be the outer. Artie and Beckendorf agreed that for the armor to be effective, it required two layers of moonsilver. So that meant three layers of leather. The outermost would be the dragon hide he had cured while the middle layer, the one separating the metal piece, would consist of hardened rawhide. The final layer, besides the clothes he wore under, would be a thin piece of supple cured deer hide. Not only would the armor protect him against almost all slashing attacks, but the leather would also cushion any attack from blunt weapons, like a club or bat. It was really only against piercing strikes, like stabbing, that the armor was vulnerable to. But with two layers of moonsilver and three of leather, it was the best Artie could hope for without adding another layer and more weight.

He examined the pieces more closely. The pair of boots that were designed to eliminate the need for shin guards. The front was high enough to cover his knees while the back ended just below to allow him the full use of his knees. The breeches would protect him from the waist down to just above his knee with cords running down the side to either tighten or loosen them. He was glad, Beckendorf had listened to him to not make a skirt like so many designs from ancient times. The chest piece would be something between a vest and a tank top with the sides open so it would accommodate him in the coming months, should he gain more muscle or decided to change his diet to pizza and ice cream. Finally, he had a pair of shoulders to protect his shoulders. They each had a round end to match his round shoulders with a short length running down the side of his biceps, connected in the front and back so it formed a single piece that he would have to slip over the chest piece before he attached them. As for his hands and forearms, Beckendorf had completed them last summer when he returned from the sea of monsters. They had been slightly damaged from his fight with Thorn in Maine, but he could easily repair them once he finished the rest of the set.

He unrolled a leather roll he kept in the cave that held a wide assortment of knives, needles, and other tools he used to make countless leather goods. His hand drifted over several knives before drew one and ran it against a smooth whetstone. Gripping the knife with his teeth he rolled out the dragon hide, placing several heavy stone on the corners to prevent it from moving, and began cutting out the shapes he would need for the top layer of his armor. As he worked, his thoughts drifted to Appolonia and his quiver. While he had warned her about its cool down requirement between arrows, he worried something could wrong. He had to be honest with himself, even though he had been using that quiver for almost six years, he wasn't sure if he had learned everything that he needed to learn. Still, it was nothing compared when he first acquired it during his quest to Yellowstone National Park.

The memory was still fresh in his mind.

* * *

_**(NEARLY SIX YEARS PREVIOUSLY, SOMEWHERE IN MID NEBRASKA)**_

_The hot sun had finally set and took the stiffing heat with it._

_Artie had been walking alongside a deserted road for all day and it looked like he would do the same for the night. The landscape had not changed in the slightest all day. There was a wheat field to his left and, on the other side of the road, one on his right. He cursed his luck. It had been an uneventful, if somewhat boring, ride until the Greyhound bus he boarded in New York stopped in Chicago. The bus had to be refueled and inspected, and after sitting in hot bus with nothing to do but stare out window, Artie was grateful for the two hour delay to stretch his legs. He was also grateful he had packed lightly or rather he didn't have much to pack. Just a spare shirt, socks, and shorts in a small rucksack with an emergency cache of mortal money and a few golden drachmas._

_He had finished the last bit of food he had brought the previous morning and it was mid day. So he followed his nose to a nearby hotdog stand and bought himself his first hotdog ever. He had seen them when the cruise ship he stowed away on docked in Miami and when he and the Party Ponies passed through New York, but he had never had one. And the smell was intoxicating, especially to his sensitive nose. The vendor was a tall friendly looking man with a warm smile._

_He looked down at Artie and smiled, "First time in the Windy City?"_

_"Windy City?" he asked._

_"Chicago's nickname." he explained. "So you are new. I take it you've never had a Chicago Dog then?"_

_Artie shook his head. "No."_

_The vendor's smile grew even bigger, "Then you're in for a treat. I'll drag it through the garden for you. It's the only way to eat a hotdog."_

_"Drag through the garden?" he repeated. Artie was still learning all the subtleties of the english language._

_"Here," said the vendor, handing him the hotdog._

_"Thank you." Artie paid for it along with a soda and sat on a nearby bench to enjoy it._

_He marveled at what he held in his hand. The bread was dotted with poppy seeds as it held the dog. It was topped with tangy yellow mustard, sharp chopped onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a pickle spear that ran from end to end, fresh tomato slices, pickled sport peppers, and he even caught the faint smell of celery salt. He took a bite and before he knew, the only sign he had even held one was the mustard on his face. It was the best thing he had ever eaten in his life. Better than the food he ate at Camp Half Blood and infinitely better than the unseasoned wild animals and plants he grew up on in the jungle. He threw the wrapper in the garbage bin next to the bench and was about to tuck the can of soda in the his rucksack for later when he heard a deep voice behind him._

_"Still hungry." it said._

_Artie thought it was the vendor and turned around. "No — "_

_He froze when he saw a much taller man and looked up. He was over eight and half feet tall with bulging muscles underneath a bloodstained shirt. It was when Artie saw that this man had only one eye in the center of his head, that he realized the man was not a man, but a cyclops._

_"— thank you." he finished  
_

_The cyclops smiled wickedly. "Still hungry . . . you make nice snack."_

_Artie responded the only way he could think of and threw the soda as hard as he could in the monster's face. Luckily for him, the can hit him in his only eye before exploding and covering his face in sweet sticky cola. Artie reached for his knives and curse the Oracle for telling him to travel unarmed. With the bus still an hour away from departing, he did the only think of and ran. He managed to lose the cyclops quite easily, but by the time he did, he succeeded in getting himself lost in the Windy City. An hour and one very helpful homeless man later, he found the bus station, but bus had already departed well before that. Using the little money he had left, he bought a train ticket as far as Des Moines, Iowa. He continued his way west, either walking or hitching a ride from a friendly truck driver, mostly walking. It was when he found a map on the side of the road and matched up the sign on the side of the road that learned he was somewhere in the middle of Nebraska, with Yellowstone National Park in the next state over, though on the far side where it bordered Idaho. He was grateful he hadn't encountered anything dangerous since Chicago, but he would have felt a little safer if he had his knives. At the very least he could have used them to skin the countless rabbits he encountered on the road as well as a start a fire, but he had to settle for the oily and tough taste of raw snake whenever he chanced upon one. He could have ate a rabbit, but he no way of making a fire and had learned the hard way the result of eating raw rabbit meat._

_It was pitch black with only a slight sliver of moon providing the only light. As far he could tell from the map, he was several hours away from the nearest town, even if he ran the rest of the way. Thunder boomed and he looked up just in time to be met with the beginning of a massive downpour. Just his luck, not only did it have to start raining heavily when he was on foot in the middle of nowhere, but it had to be only an hour after he hopped off a truck only an hour earlier. On the truck he could have made it to a town and found shelter from the rain, rather than being left with no choice but to continue walking down a deserted road at night. He made a mental note not to accept any more rides from truckers, at least until dawn. Knowing his luck, he end up meeting a crazy homicidal manic with a machete and a hockey mask and he doubted severely he could get Mr. Voorheese's autograph. For one thing, he didn't have pen or paper._

_A thunderous crack of lighting, lit up the night sky. As the light died, Artie saw the faint outline of a building just down the road. He began running and reached a gas station in minutes just as it began to rain harder. It looked it had been abandoned sometime before. All the windows had been boarded up along with bay doors that, when it was open and running, allowed cars to be brought onto lift to be fixed. The gas pumps were missing, likely removed when the station had shut down, but the overhead awning still stood though it swayed with the hard wind. It may not have been a five star motel or even a one star, but it would give him a dry place to rest for the night. Using an old rusty hammer he found, no doubt long forgotten when the mechanics left the shop, he managed to pry a single board off the front door and crawled inside. Like he expected, it was dark and dusty, but dry. It looked like a typical office. There was a counter stilled littered with old paperwork and pens as well as the desk behind it. There was an old looking wooden bench with a leather cushion that filled the air with even more dust when he sat on it. Instinctively he located the light switch and flipped it on. Surprisingly, a single florescent tube dimly lit up the room. It was dim, but he now he wouldn't have to feel around in the dark. He was surprised that the station had power. What surprised him more was a vending machine. It looked brand new with a digital readout for various kinds of snacks. Next to the vending machine, sitting on small folding table, was a coffee machine with an unopened box of hot chocolate. He pushed a button at random and, without putting any money in, it dispensed a small bag of cookies. He took out the cookies and went to a small water fountain. He turned the knob and clear cool water shot out. He tasted the water and found it tasted perfectly pure, like the natural springs he often found in forests and jungles in South America. Not sure how an abandoned gas station still had electricity and running water, he filled the coffee pot with water, poured cocoa mix into a fresh filter, and went about making himself comfortable._

_He guessed there had been some sort of confusion and the utilities were never officially shut down and since no one had been around to use them, the error went unnoticed. He changed out of his wet clothes and hung them to air dry. He found a box of old Styrofoam cups and poured himself some hot chocolate to warm up as he munched on the bag of cookies. As he considered the next part of his quest, at least how to avoid walking the whole way, a flicker of movement where he pried the board off caught his eye. Tobias hopped inside and shook the water from his feathers. He fluttered to Artie's side and picked at the now empty bag of cookies. Artie offered the last one he held, but Tobias turned up his beak at it. Artie understood instantly, Tobias was looking for meat. He walked to the machine and found that it had jerky. Not sure if it would happen again, Artie pressed another button. Artie took the dried meat from its wrapper and handed it to his feathered friend who tore it with gusto. He explored the office a little more and found a small wardrobe. He opened and found it was filled with old mechanic uniforms. Unfortunately, they were far too large for him. He was too tired from the hours of walking and the hot cocoa and decided he could explore the rest of the station in the morning. He folded two uniforms for a pillow and used a third for a blanket as he laid down on the bench to sleep, Tobias keeping watch high in the corner of an empty shelf._

_Artie awoke the sound of hushed voices. He shot up like a rocket, reaching for knives at his belt that were not there. He held absolutely still as his listened for the voices again. They came again a second later. Although this time he could guess there were two, a man and a woman. He quietly got off the bench and looked up to see Tobias had his head tucked under his wing, sleeping soundly as he perched overhead. The sounds seemed to be coming from the shop where mechanics would have worked on the cars on lifts. He quietly opened the door and entered the shop. There was a sliver of light coming from a close door on the far end of the shop. Not sure if he would need a weapon, Artie went to the giant toolboxes and began opening drawers. Slowly so not to make noise, he opened several drawers to find them before finally finding a small, but heavy, metal mallet. Not much of a weapon, but it was better than his bare hands. He slowly creeped to the light, gazing around so not to be surprised if something should pop out at him. As he did, he noticed several small and weird looking machines and tools. There was something that looked like a cross between a record player and a laptop as well countless little parts littered around when the two machines were taken apart and combined. There were also countless little metal statues that could be confused for toys, but they were too finely detailed and painted that it would have been a terrible crime to even risk damaging them._

_As he creeped closer, he could her a girlish giggle. "Oh, that tickles."_

_A rough male voice responded, "You tease."_

_Artie's cheek went warm and red as he had a vague idea of what was going on and turned around. He was the one trespassing after all, best he left before they even realized he was there and ruined the moment. He'd take a couple fo snacks from the machine in the office and leave after refiling his canteen. As he turned his elbow tapped a ceramic bowl and it crashed to the floor._

_"Eeep!" squeaked the woman. "What was that?"_

_"Probably a rat." assured the man. "Now, where were we?"_

_"I told you coming here was a bad idea, but you just wanna rub his nose in it." said the woman. "I'm going back to Denver."_

_"But — "_

_There was a great flash of pink light._

_"I didn't even like Waterland when it was running." grumbled the man._

_Artie waited a moment before taking a step. A sharp piece of the ceramic bowl cracked under his foot, piercing the thin leather of his sandal and his foot. He jumped back and yelped in pain._

_"That was no rat!" exclaimed the man._

_Artie barely had the time to dive behind a workbench before the door flew open. In the doorway stood a giant of a man. He was clad only in boxers, black with red lambdas, and a red tank top. His eyes, like Artie's, were hidden behind red tinted wraparound sunglasses as he scanned the room. The rest of his face was scarred with his hair in an oiled crew cut. In his hands, he held a metal bat._

_"Best y'all come out now." he said. "Alot quicker for the both of us."_

_Artie remained where he was, under the workbench and not daring to even breath._

_"Alright." said the man. "Have it your way."_

_The man waved his hand and clothes materialized around him. In less than a second, he was fully dressed black jeans, combat boots, a leather duster, and muscle shirt. Before Artie could even gasp, he held out the bat like a rifle. The bat morphed into a wicked looking double barrell shotgun, decorated with blood stains and barbed wire wrapped around both barrels. Slowly but eagerly, the man began his hunt for the person who had interrupted his moment with his woman. Artie knew he had to get out of there. This man was not human and he had no weapons. Even with his speed, Artie doubted he could reach the office and crawl in time. He might if he didn't stop to grab his bag, but he wanted to avoid that. He knew the loss of his nectar and ambrosia alone would come back to bite him. He gazed down around him. He might not be able to hurt whatever this man was, but he might able to buy himself some time. He picked up a couple scraps of the ceramic bowl and threw them, hoping in the dim light that the man would not see where they came from._

_At the first clack, the man turned and fired. "GOTCHA!"_

_The only thing he got, was a box. Of course that box was filled with highly pressurized, and highly flammable, sprays cans filled with break cleaner. So naturally the box, and several objects near it, went up in flames. The man didn't seem to mind in the slightest as he continued to scan the room, ignoring the small explosions that occurred when the fire reached another box of brake cleaner. Artie miscalculated in thinking that it would be enough buy himself time to reach the office, he stopped in time just in time for a shotgun blast to splinter the door frame. Like before he dove to the floor as another blast obliterated a counter top and various objects that sat on it._

_The man chuckled amusingly, "Oh, you're a wascally wittle wabbit." He cocked the shotgun menacingly. "But not wascally enough for the God of War."_

_Artie nearly bolted for the door again. If this man was Ares, the Greek god of war, he didn't stand a chance in a fair fight. And this was far from a fair fight. His only chance to live would be to escape and put as much distance as he could between him and the god. He was about to think of plan when another godly blast exploded over his head. This was a warning shot and Artie looked at Ares. He was about a second away from begging for mercy when he noticed he was still clutching the hammer he found. He gazed over the mad god and saw it was lined with boxes of motor oil and other boxes marked 'highly flammable'._

_"Beggin' won't help." Ares cocked his shotgun. "But' since I'm feeling generous, I'll let you have one shot. Make it count."_

_Artie made the mistake of looking at the door. The door slammed shut as soon as he did. He returned his gaze to Ares who was smiling wickedly and shook his finger at him._

_"None of that now." he chided. "Your move."_

_Artie did the only thing he could do and threw the hammer._

_Ares watched it sail well over his head before it bounced off the shelf behind and over him and land at his feet. He switch his gazed between the hammer and Artie, who did the same. Ares smiled before he doubled over in laughter. His laugh was so loud and thunderous, it shook the the entire room and several objects fell to the floor and shattered._

_"Kid, you're lucky no one else was here to see that." said the god. "Otherwise I'd — "_

_Artie did not get to hear what the god would have done. As luck would have it, Ares's thunderous laughter was enough send the shelf and everything it held to the floor. Before he knew it, Ares was covered in motor oil and other kinds of highly flammable liquids. Ares slipped on the slick oil that coated the floor as he stumbled backward and fell to the floor. Artie used the opportunity to grab the remains of a flaming box and hurled at Ares. Instantly the oil that coated Ares, and Ares himself, caught aflame. The god bellowed in rage and pain. Artie knew this would not slow Ares for more than a half a minute, three quarters if he was lucky, and ran to the door that lead to the office. It was still shut tight and locked. Panic sank in and he began to pound on the door as hard he could. He then began ramming his shoulder against it, but the door seemed to be made of steel and refused to budge. Or something had fallen across it on the other side and barricaded him in with one very angry greek god. He paused to see that angry Greek god was getting to his feet with gritted teeth. Artie began ramming the door again and again as futile attempt to escape. Artie was rewarded with something large, metallic, and tube like rolling out of a cabinet overhead nearly clonking him on the head. It landed with hollow clang and rolled against his leg. He glanced down at it and saw it was resembled a bronze fire extinguisher with a leather strap to hang across one's back._

_That was when he felt a presence behind him. "BATTER UP!"_

_Artie brought up the tube in time for Ares's bat, formerly his shotgun, to take most of the force. Unfortunately, the remaining force sent Artie flying like rocket into the sliding bay door, crumpling around him. By some stroke of luck or gift of fate, the force had not snapped his spine. But it did leave him heavily dazed and tittered on the edge of consciousness. He fell forward out of the Artie shaped crevice his body had created. Ares walked slowly to him, twirling his bat like a cane. Artie tried to move, but his arms were finding difficult to obey his will. He wished that Ares would freeze long enough for him for the room to stop tilting back and forth. At the thought of freezing, his mind flashed to a scene from Jason X, where the infamous Jason Voorheese was kept at bay with liquid nitrogen. He severely doubted that a gas station carried enough to stop a was when he heard a faint whir and looked at the bronze tube. A thin shaft of wood with a feathered end shot out of the top of the bronze tube._

_Ares paused in front of Artie and plucked the arrow. "Sorry kid, not much use without a bow."_

_He tossed it over his shoulder._

_"I know you'll appreciate this." Ares raised his bat overhead and smiled. "Hasta la vista, baby."_

_Artie closes his eyes, not wanting his final sight to be that of a scarred brute. That was when he and Ares both heard a rapid beeping. Artie cracked his eye open as Ares turned around. It was the arrow that Ares had tossed like a piece of trash. It was only then that Artie saw it wasn't a common arrow, but one with a cylinder head instead of a razor triangular one, and the head was beeping rapidly as a red light flashing alarmingly._

_"What the — " Ares began to say._

_The words were thrown back into the god's throat as the arrow exploded. But instead of light and heat, there was mist and cold. It was as if the season went from stifling summer to freezing winter in a blink of an eye, though all Artie felt was a cool gentle breeze kiss his face. He looked around and saw all the fires had gone out, though they still smoked and some of the objects in the room had acquired a thin layer of frost. He then looked up and saw Ares, literally frozen like a statue with his bat still raised like it had been only a moment before. He allowed himself a sigh of relief before he shakily got to his feet. He gave the now frozen Ares a wide berth and made his way to the door. Like almost everything else in the room, the door had acquired a thin sheet of frost. He wasn't sure how he had escaped being frozen like Ares, but he guessed the god unknowingly acted as a shield and took the magic frost for him. The door still refused to budge and he if he was unable to force door before Ares sent him into an aluminum bay door, he was most certainly unable to do it after. He began searching for a hammer or something heavy to smash the door._

_Crick . . . crick . . . crick . . .crick_

_Artie turned and saw the ice encasing Ares was beginning to crack and shattered. That only meant one thing, Ares would be free and even angrier than before._

_Artie couldn't help but roll his eyes at his luck. "Claro. Por que não?"_

_Before he could indulge in more colorful oath that would have resulted in someone washing his mouth with soap, Artie was thrown head over heels as the ice statue exploded. Ares shook himself to dislodge any remaining shard of ice and frost and hefted his bat as he menacingly walked to Artie. As he walked Ares swung his bat from side, smashing several objects in his wake. Artie regained his bearings just as Ares's boot came into view. He gulped and looked up, cursing himself from doing so._

_"Ice to see you!" Ares brought down the bat._

_Artie closed his eyes and brought up his arms to fend of a blow from an angry god. He waited and was surprised it did not come. He opened his eyes and saw someone else was standing next to Ares. He was huge lump of a man with his shoulders at different heights and a huge, bulging and bald, misshapen head. His long brown beard was thick and bushy that reached his chest and , unless Arte was seeing things, it sparked fire from time to time. He wore a blue jumpsuit with the sleeves torn off that revealed huge thick muscular arms. On his feet were thick black work boots, though one of them had a leg brace. There was a name embroidered over the chest pocket of his jumpsuit, but Artie could not make it out. When Artie looked father up, he saw this stranger had caught the bat with a single hand and was staring daggers at Ares._

_The sudden appearance of his brother surprised the war god, "Hephaestus? What are you doing here?"_

_Hephaestus shoved him, "That's my line."_

_Ares shrugged and casually threw the bat over his shoulder, "Your wife invited me over for tea."_

_Hephaestus's beard began to smoke. "Well, since this is my realm, I rescind that invitation."_

_Ares cocked his head to Artie, "But he — "_

_"I SAID GET OUT!"_

_"The punk ain't worth my time anyway." Ares scowled and disappeared in a flash of red light_

_Tap . . . tap . . . tap . . . tap_

_Hephaestus opened the door to the office, "Aphrodite, if that's you, you got some explaining to do."_

_That was when Tobias flew out with a screech and buffeted the smith of Olympus with his wings. Hephaestus began swatting at the bird of prey, "Hey, quit that. Deactivate. Stand down. Shut down."_

_"Tobias!" Artie shouted. "No."_

_Tobias instantly stopped and landed next to Artie. In his talons, Tobias held an ambrosia square which Artie accepted and inhaled it. He instantly felt better, his sore muscles and bones began to radiate warm and energy. A massive hand appeared in front him._

_Artie looked up Hephaestus, "Thanks kid."_

_Artie took the god's hand and Hephaestus brought him to his feet. "You're Charles's dad."_

_"Charles?" asked Hephaestus._

_"Beckendorf?"_

_"Oh yeah, him." Hephaestus held out a hand. "Hephaestus, god of metalworking and master smith of Olympus."_

_Artie hesitantly shook the hand, "Artie Gallezi"_

_"Gallezi? Artie? As in Artemis Raposo Gallezi?"_

_"Do you know me?"_

_"Just the name." Hephaestus looked like he almost let something slip. "What happened here? I tell ya, I leave to grab a bite and the pace goes to Tartarus."_

_Artie explained everything as best as he could as Hephaestus picked around the room looking annoyed at the thought of rebuilding several previously completed projects. "The woman you heard, you said she mentioned a place?"_

_Artie nodded, "Something about Waterland and Denver, I think."_

_"Denver, I'll have to remember that for later." Hephaestus scratched his beard. "Well Artie, it looks like you stopped my idiot brother from smashing some of the more complicated projects, put out a fire that would have burned down my shop, and you even made him mad and survived. Normally I'd thank you and leave it that, but my sister would annoy me to no end if I didn't give you something for your trouble."_

_Artie tried to politely refuse. "That's okay. If you don't want to — "_

_"No, no." Hephaestus cut him off with a wave. "Now, what could I give you?"_

_Tobias screeched and both of them looked to see him perched on top of the bronze tube that had produced the explosive frost arrow. It was then that Artie realized it was a quiver, though a magic one at that._

_"Oh, I almost forgot I made that." The quiver floated to Hephaestus and rubbed a bit of dirt off of it. "I offered this to my sister when she asked for a bow and quiver, but she only wanted the bow. Said she had no need for such ridiculous toys. She can be a little snotty if you ask me." He tossed to Artie. "You're lucky I couldn't bear to destroy it. You'll have any kind of arrow you can think of, though it requires a cooldown between the more complicated gadgets. Just remember that the more powerful arrow you use, the longer you have to wait before use another one. But plain celestial bronze arrows, those you shot until forever and a day."_

_Artie stared at the magic quiver in his arms. "Thank you, Lord Hephaestus."_

_He inclined his head, "As for a bow, I made a couple hundred eons ago that would have been perfect for you, but I gave it to my sister so she could give it to her . . . other sisters. You'll have to seek her out and see if she is feeling generous."_

_"Where is she?" Artie would have settled just a single gift from a god, but arrows are useless without a bow and vice versa._

_"Last time I checked," Hephaestus rubbed his head. "She was in Wyoming. Yellowstone National Park, I think."_

_"I'm on my way there." said Artie. "That's where the oracle said I would meet my godly parent."_

_"Really?" he seemed genuinely surprised. "Well, I wouldn't want to keep you."_

_Hephaestus waved his hand and all of the bay doors shot open. The sun had already rose in the east and bathed the interior in warm sunlight. Tobias screeched triumphantly and flew out into the sky. Artie thanked the god again and stepped out to continue his quest. Now he had a weapon to defend himself, granted it was more of half weapon, but one couldn't have everything._

_As the gas station disappeared Artie heard Hephaestus call out to him, "Go easy on my sis. It takes a big god to admit when you're wrong and she can be a little stubborn at times."_

* * *

A conch horn blew in the distance and jerked Artie out of his memory.

He was so deeply engrossed in his memory, he had failed to notice that not only he had finshed his armor, but had just finshed donning it. He finished tying the knot on his right boot, doused the fire, and sprinted off into the forest where the game against the hunters had concluded. As he ran, Tobias descended from the sky and flew along aside him.

Tobias cawed when he saw Artie in his armor.

"Wait until i get my cloak back." Artie smiled, "Then you and Thalia will be right."


	9. The Moon's Ally

As was his habit, Tobias had surveyed the games and gave Artie the play by play.

Artie wasn't surprised at the result, "So they won. Is Appolonia hurt?"

Tobias reported that not only she had escaped harm, but actually incapacitated three Hunters within seconds of each other. The first one with a snag trap that hauled the victim into the air and dangled them in the air by an ankle. Used an electric arrow that worked like a police tazer on the second while she hid above them in a tree. And while the third was distracted, she actually managed to haul the unfortunate Hunter into the tree by slipping her bow around her neck and held her thier until she passed out. Artie smiled at that. It was good to know that, despite all her nagging to take her along and the constant complaining of boredom that occurred when he finally relented, those hunting trips into the everglades had been worth it. As he ran, Artie passed few campers and a couple of Hunters, all them looking surprised at dark green blur sprinting through the woods. Artie slid to a stop when he saw a huge crowd of hunters and campers gathered around the creek. He caught the faint smell of reptile and saw a path of sickly green snow lead from the Big House. He pushed himself the crowd and froze at what he saw. The Oracle had left the attic, walked to the creek, and she was speaking to Zoë.

"_I am the spirit of Delphi_" said a hissing voice in his head. Artie guessed everyone else could hear it as well because several campers covered their ears. "_Speaker of prophecies of Phoebes Apollo, slayer of the mighty python. Approach Seeker, and ask."_

Zoë swallowed hard, but asked. "What must I do to save my goddess?"

The Oracle opened her mouth and green mist swirled. Artie, and everyone else, saw a vague image of Aretmis. She was kneeling and held her arms up as if to ward off an attacker. She was also in chains, fettered to the ground. And without a doubt, she looked to be in agony. Then the Oracle spoke again.

_Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,_

_One shall be lost in the land without rain,_

_The bane of Olympus shows the trail,_

_Campers and Hunters combined prevail,_

_The Titan's curse must one withstand,_

_And one shall perish by a parent's hand._

That was when the mist began to retreat into the Oracle's mouth. Artie could not let that happen. He wasn't concerned with Artemis, but with Annabeth who was mortal and could very well die, unlike Artemis. Part of him wanted to slap Zoë for being so concerned with an immortal goddess who could survive anything. It was like trying to protect a heavily armed fortress when the enemy was attacking with water pistols.

He shoved Gene aside, not caring enough to find any joy in it. "Wait!"

To his and everyone else's surprise, the Oracle actually stopped and turned to face him. She did not demand he ask like she had with Zoë, but Artie didn't care. If there was a chance she would tell him, he was not about to throw it away like a piece of trash.

"Annabeth Chase." he said firmly. "Where is she? Is she alive?"

Like before, the green mist swirled to form an image. This one resembled a hooded archer fighting with a large cat, like a lion of some sort. The archer shot countless arrows before rolling to the side as the cat closed the distance and attacked with his claws and teeth. As the archer and cat fought, the Oracle spoke.

_Begin as you have and the daughter will be saved_

_Control of the beast within regained_

_Vengeance taken and guardian freed_

_The king of hunt the mother's world shall heed_

Then, as everyone watched, the mist swirled and retreated into the Oracle's mouth like a giant green serpent. She then sat on a rock and became as immobile as she had been in the big house attic, as if she would sit there for the next couple of centuries until she grew bored with the view and decided to move again.

* * *

_**(AN HOUR LATER)**_

As Grover and Percy returned from returning the Oracle to the attic, Thalia met with them. She had Grover relay her words, though Percy was standing directly next to him. She was still mad with Percy for not following orders during the capture the flag game against the Hunter.

"Tell Percy to get his butt downstairs." she told Grover.

"Why?" asked Percy.

She refused to look at him. "Did he say something?"

"Um, he asked why."

"Dionysus is calling a meeting of the council leaders to discuss the prophecy." she said. "Unfortunately, that includes Percy."

The meeting was held around a large Ping Pong table. Dionysus had summoned several bottles of Diet Coke, which no one drank, along with various kinds of snacks. Cheese Whiz, crackers, and couple kinds of cookies sat in the middle of the table, untouched by everyone who was too engaged in watching an argument between Zoë and Artie. Mr. D and Chiron, in his wheelchair, sat one end and observed while Zoë and Bianca sat on the other. Percy, Thalia, and Grover sat on the right while the head counselors sat opposite them. Charles Beckendorf from the Hephaestus cabin. Silena Beauregard from the Aphrodite Cabin. Appolonia was covering for Gene, who normally subbed for Lee Fletcher, from the Apollo cabin. Both of the Stoll brothers from the Hermes cabin. There would have been a representative from the Ares cabin, but all them had receive broken bones, courtesy of the Hunters. And finally Artie who represented cabin eight, the Artemis cabin. It was this that was a matter of debate between Artie and Zoë.

Artie's cloak, he gotten back from Appolonia, shook around him as used to hands to convey his confusion. "I don't see why you're making such a big deal about this? Mr. D called for all the head counselors, which I am for cabin eight."

"What am I?" demanded Zoë.

"Enough, Zoë." said Chiron. "Artie is the only camper of cabin eight. Like Percy and Thalia, that makes him head counselor for his cabin. As lieutenant of the Hunter, you are their representative. Now sit, so we may discuss more important matters."

Zoë sat down and began things on a positive note. "This is pointless."

"Cheese Whiz!" gasped Grover who scooped up ping pong balls and began covering them in topping.

"There is no time for talk." Zoë continued. "Our goddess needs us. The Hunters must leave immediately."

"Where will you go?" asked Chiron.

"West!" answered Bianca. "The prophecy said, _Five shall go west to the goddess in chains. _We can get five hunters and go.

"Yes." agreed Zoë. "Artemis is being held hostage. We must find her and free her."

"You're forgetting something as usual." said Thalia. "_Campers and Hunters combined prevail._ We're supposed to this together."

"No!" protested Zoë. "The Hunters do not need thy help."

"Your." grumbled Thalia. "No one's said thy in like three hundred years. Get with the times, Zoë."

"Please." mocked pleaded Artie. "I'm dyslexic and I can speak english, Spanish, Portuguese, and ancient Greek."

Zoë flashed an irritated look Artie's way as she tried for the word correctly. _Yerr_. . . we do not need _yerr_ help."

Thalia rolled her eyes. "Forget it."

"Plus," said Artie calmly. "Its not that you don't need our help. You don't want it."

Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement.

"I fear the that the prophecy says you do need our help." said Chiron. "The Hunters and camper must cooperate."

"Or do they?" Mr. D waved his diet coke under his nose like a glass of fine wine. "One shall be lost and one shall perish. What if you fail because to tried to work together?"

"Mr.D " said Chiron. "With all due respect, who's side are you on?"

"Sorry my dear centaur." Mr.D sniffed. "Just trying to be helpful."

The rest of meeting went by slowly as they considered who might die, that much was certain, as well what was the bane of Olympus and the Titan's curse. Everyone offered suggestions, but each one sounded less likely than the other. Artie kept quiet as best he could. Though no one had acknowledged it yet, he knew he was not going on the quest to save Artemis which was fine by him. In his mind, he had the more important quest. Artemis may have been the most vocal about the every growing threat of Kronos, but he put more stock in Athena. She was Zeus's best strategist and she had to be aware of the threat as well. Zeus was wise enough to know if she advised him to do something, he should consider it at the very least. If by some reason the quest to rescue Artemis failed, Athena could still step in. But if she was too concerned with the safety of Annabeth, Athena might make a slight and possibly a grave miscalculation or not say a word and cost Olympus another year of war preparations.

"Percy is right." said Silena. "Two campers should go."

"Oh, I see." said Zoë. "And I suppose you wish to volunteer?"

Silena blushed. "I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters. Don't look at me!"

A daughter of Aphrodite does not wish to be looked at?" asked Zoë with fake astonishment. "What would thy mother say?"

Silena tried to get up, but Appolonia pushed her down.

"Stop it!" said Beckendorf. Like Artie, he had kept quiet. But when he spoke people tended to listen. "Let's start with the Hunters. Which three will go?"

Zoë stood. "I shall go, of course. And Phoebe, she is my best tracker."

"That's not saying much." said Artie.

Zoë turned to Artie. "What?"

"She fell for the basic tricks when she was tracking me yesterday in the snow." Artie reminded. "While I'm sure she wasn't expecting to be fooled, you should consider that."

Zoë looked like she didn't want to admit Artie was right. "She will not let her guard down on such an important quest."

Artie shrugged, "If you say so."

Zoë continued. "As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish for Bianca to go as well."

Bianca looked stunned, "Me? But . . . I'm so new."

"You will do fine." Zoë insisted. "There is no better way to prove thyself."

"Or get her killed." Artie remarked.

"I've nearly had it with thee constantly questioning my decisions" Zoë snapped. "Need I remind thee that I've been along side Lady Artemis since the Olympians were in ancient Greece."

"And I doubt you learned a single thing." Artie snapped back. "First you argue about something as petty as me being here. Only to then act insulted when we offered help. And now you're taking along a demigod who hasn't even held a weapon before yesterday."

"Artie should go." said Appolonia. "He's the only demigod who can pick up Artemis's scent and as well as the monster she was hunting. Plus the line about hunters and campers could mean him. He's camper, but the closest thing to a Hunter without actually being one."

"He cannot!" said Zoë . "He is a boy. I will not have the Hunters travel with a boy."

"_Ela dizia que_," Artie grumbled to himself. "_O' hipócrita_."

"Did you just call me a hypocrite?" demanded Zoë.

Artie shrugged again. "You tell me."

"Let us return to the matter at hand." said Chiron, trying to defuse the two. "Which campers will go?"

"Me!" Grover snapped to attention. "Anything to help Artemis."

"I think not, satyr." said Zoë. "Thou are not even a demigod."

"But he is a camper." Thalia pointed out. "He's got satyr senses and woodland magic. Can you play a tracker's song yet, Grover?"

"Absolutely"

Zoë frowned as she thought for a moment. "Very well. And the second camper?"

"I'll go." Thalia stood and looked at everyone, daring to question her.

That was when Percy realized the group had reached five members and he was not one of them. "Whoa, hold on a sec. I want to go too."

Grover then realized the problem. "Yeah, Percy has to go. He can take my place . . . I'll stay."

Zoë opened her mouth to object, but stopped when Artie muttered something to himself so quietly Percy was surprise she had even heard him, "Another thing I've overlooked?"

"That depends." said Artie. "On whether you don't two children of the big three just because one of them is a boy. You agreed on Grover without much problems."

Zoë folded her arms in front of her. "Grover is different. He is not technically a boy."

"Hey!" Grover protested.

"I insist on this." she said firmly. "I will take a satyr if I must, but not a male hero."

Chiron sighed. "This is the quest for Artemis. The Hunters should be allowed to approve of their companions."

"Thou are not even fully committed to this quest." said Zoë to Percy when she saw his disappointment. "Thou are more concerned with thy friend, Annabeth."

That was when Percy was reminded of something. "Fine. I'll go with Artie. The Oracle gave him a prophecy too. That means his quest is separate from the Hunters's."

Artie was sipping at cup of diet coke he had poured himself. He calmly set down his cup. "Sorry Percy, but you're not."

Everyone looked at Artie as he refilled his cup. If anyone wanted to save Annabeth as much as Percy, it was Artie. And since Percy was one of his only close friends, it was strange that Artie was denying him to come along. If anything, the question before that was who would be the third and final companion to accompany them.

"What do you mean I'm not?" Percy asked. "You don't want me along?"

"_Begin as you have and the daughter will be saved_." Artie recited. "The only way Annabeth is going to be saved on my quest is if I attempt it alone."

"I don't get it." said Thalia. "I don't remember the Oracle saying you had to specifically go alone."

"She was referring to my journey to Camp Half Blood and my quest to Yellowstone National Park." Artie drained the last of his coke. "Both times I began alone. So for me to _begin as I have_, I need to go alone."

"I'm afraid Artie is right, Percy." admitted Chiron. "Though I'm not sure why the Oracle insists on sending Artie alone. It made sense the first time, but now I haven't the slightest inkling why."

"He'll find her, Percy." said Appolonia. "If anyone can find her, it'll be Artie."

"Plus," added Artie. "She is more a priority than Artemis right now."

Zoë seemed taken aback. "A daughter of Athena is a higher a priority? How?"

"Simply put, Zoë." Artie said calmly. "Artemis is immortal and has all the time in the world, literally. While Annabeth can and will eventually die if she isn't saved."

"So this is has nothing to do with thy personal vengeance?" Zoë asked. "_Vengeance taken and guardian freed_. It seems quite simple to me why thee really asked the Oracle."

Artie held back a growl as he stood and began walking away.

Appolonia shot Zoë a look before addressing Artie. "Where are you going?"

"To pack." he grunted. "The meeting was for the quest to save Artemis, not Annabeth. I'm not going to waste what little time Annabeth has explaining myself when I don't have to."

Artie had just opened the door to leave when Zoë muttered. "Just like Orion."

Artie froze, his body tensing but his voice dangerously calm. "Care to repeat that, Zoë?"

"I didn't say anything." Zoë said innocently.

"You mentioned, Orion." said Thalia.

"As in the constellation?" asked Percy.

"He was the son of Poseidon and Euryale, the daughter of King Minos." Artie explained. "He claimed to be able to hunt any creature on earth."

"He was also a violent womanizing drunk who took an act of kindness from Lady Artemis as act of love." Zoë added bitterly. "When she rejected his advances, he hunted her so he could . . . " Zoë struggled to find the less vulgar way to say when she meant. " . . . have his way her. It was only when Lady Hera sent a scorpion to kill him that he was stopped."

"But when he was about to die, using what he learned from Artemis, he escaped into the stars." Artie continued. "So he would not escape, Zeus placed the scorpion in the stars to guard him as well as several animals to distract him by giving him something to hunt."

"But I thought it was a great honor to be placed in the stars" said Thalia. "Perseus is there and he never did anything evil."

"Most of the time, it is." Artie admitted. "But Orion was the exception."

"But he slips through every now and then." said Zoë. "To find Lady Artemis and finish his . . . heinous mission."

"I know." Artie held up the tooth necklace he always wore around his neck. "I was the last one to defeat him."

Percy was surprised. He had always assumed Artie had made the necklace himself or bought it when he was traveling. He never would have guessed that it was a spoil of war, like his minotaur horn. He fought revulsion at the the thought that such an evil person was his brother. He also wondered how exactly Artie had beaten him since Orion was clearly strong enough to hunt Artemis.

"Orion was the epitome of everything wrong with men." Zoë announced. "He took what pleased him, be it gold, wine, or women. Killed those who angered him. And cared for only himself." She stared at Artie's necklace. "Just like thee."

Artie's clenched his fist. "What?"

"Thee is more concerned with rescuing a demigod than rescuing thy own mother. A mother most would be beyond honored to — "

Her words were shove back down her throat as Artie seemed to teleport in front of her and slam her against the wall. His armored forearm pressed against her throat as he held in the air. She tried to pull off the arm, but something was making Artie stronger than her normally was. That was when she saw his sunglasses had come off and his silver eyes were blinking red as he tried to prevent himself from slipping into his feral state. His voice seemed to be a mix of some sort. It sounded like an angered animal spoke with Artie, making him sound deeper and with something constantly growling in the back of his throat.

"If you ever, EVER, say that again. I swear on the River Styx with the gods, titans, and very earth itself as my witness ; I will cast you so deep in Tartarus that even Hades himself won't be able find you, even I have to go down with you." Artie held out a clawed hand. "I've lost everything because of her. My mother, my father, my second mother, my brother, and even my childhood. You think I'm like Orion? Fine! Then I'll act like Orion."

Appolonia jumped on Artie's outstretched hand, "ARTIE! STOP!"

Artie did not even look as he shoved her off his arm and to the floor, "Stay out of this!"

Appolonia only gaped at Artie. He never dared laid a hand on her like that. Then she became angry. Not at Artie, but at whatever was making Artie act like this. She was becoming incredibly frustrated with Artie. She was tired of having to constantly keep him fed and busy so he would not rip someone's throat out. She had been tempted, not for the first or tenth time, to leave him and let Artie deal with it himself. It was that anger that probably saved Zoë's life.

"She's right!" she snapped. "You're no better than Orion."

Artie struck.

Zoë closed her eyes.

When a moment passed and she felt no pain, except for weight pressing on her neck, she opened her eyes. Artie's claws were just hovering in front of her nose. She would have breathed a sigh of relief, if Artie hadn't still been pressing down on her neck.

Artie's eyes had returned to their normal shade of silver, but he still sounded furious. "Next time, you better find a giant scorpion."

Artie dropped Zoë and walked away without giving anyone a second glance. No one stopped him as he left the room and went outside. He removed a small metal figurine from his pocket and tossed it into the snow. Like before, his motorcycle grew to full size in the snow. He mounted the bike, not bothering with the helmet, and kick started the engine. He brought up the stand and speed off to the road at the bottom of Half Blood Hill, just on the other side of the camp's magical borders. He did not bother turning on the radio for music, but concentrated on the road. Or at least partially. He was aware how his tooth necklace bounced against his leather chest piece and thought back when he first saw it.

It was dangling around Orion's neck as he hefted a giant club.

* * *

_**(YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - SIX YEARS PREVIOUSLY)**_

_The dark dense forest that was surrounding Artie would make anyone feel uneasy and unsafe. Most would be paranoid about the wild and dangerous animals that were lurking in the shadows of the tall slim dark trees. They might be willing to admit that in spring, beautiful lush green forests were great place for an amazing photo, but it certainly was not worth getting mauled by a pack of wolves or bear over._

_But despite all the dangers, for mortals and demigods alike, Artie felt right at home. The fresh smell of clean water, fresh upturned earth, and the faint smell of crush pine needles was tantalizing to his sensitive nose. The grass gave his bare feet a familiar and pleasant tickle as he walked. Since it was summer, it had been warm enough to remove his shirt along with sandals, the wind blowing softly and gently as it kissed his exposed skin. Birds sang and chirped in the trees overhead, pausing only to see if this demigod posed a threat to their nest and edible eggs that would be their chicks. He had reached the end of his journey, but Artie was still lost. According to the brochure he acquired from a trashcan the park was so huge it encompassed parts of Idaho and Montana, boasting to be 2, 219, 789 acres. It had taken Artie much longer than he was willing to admit, but he learned a single acre was just slightly smaller than an American football field. That meant he had to search just under two million football fields on foot by himself. And each of the fields was comprised of a mixture of lakes, canyons, rivers, mountain ranges, and a super volcano known as the Yellowstone Caldera. And that was ignoring the possibility of running into monsters that were becoming more and more apparent than in South America. He'd be here for months if he searched each and every single inch of the park, and that was if he ever figured out what exactly he was searching for. He knew this quest was to discover his Olympian parent, but he didn't have slightest clue who it could be._

_He mulled it over as he roasted a rabbit he had caught that evening just as the sun dipped below the horizon. He had stuffed the unfortunate rodent with wild mushrooms and herbs he chanced upon when he killed it. The only clue he had was the prophecy the Oracle had given him. He turned the rabbit on the spit as he considered each and every line._

_All will be revealed in the forest of golden stone_

_Artie found that easy enough of decipher. Granted, it was Chiron who told the forest of golden stone was Yellowstone National Park, but he had barely been in the country for a month. So according to the Oracle, he would learn the identity of his Olympian parent in Yellowstone National Park. Artie gazed around and down at the brochure. Reach Yellowstone National Park in one piece, check._

_Travel as you have, with humility and alone._

_Once again, he had only understood part of it. It was clear that he would have to reach Yellowstone by himself, which Chiron had said was quite unusual. Normally he would be allowed to have two companions, but not for this quest. He had wanted Annabeth and Luke to come along since they had were the only ones still talking to him after his little incident with Clarisse, the reason for his quest, but he couldn't. He wished he hadn't asked Chiron what the 'with humility" part meant. Unfortunately for him, he couldn't travel with weapons of any kind, except for his mind and body. Artie's hand drifted to his belt where his knives should have been as he noticed the lack of company. Alone and weaponless, check._

_Finding the master's forge, you will prevail_

_Artie had put that one together once he met Hephaestus in Nebraska. He might have nearly died three times over when he fought Ares, using the word fought in the loosest sense, but he had prevailed because he had found one of Hephaestus's forges, the master of metalworking and fire. Artie glanced down at the quiver resting against his leg. Found the forge of Hephaestus and survived, check._

_Beware the moon's ally or you shall fail._

_The last line was proving difficult. He wasn't sure what it meant for him. He tried to recall any myths of the moon and those associated with it. He guessed it could be a reference to Selene, but that was just another name for Artemis. He disregarded that possibility, a child of Artemis was impossible. Then again, it was far more likely that he had somehow he had angered Artemis in some way during his time in the wild and she had sent someone to challenge / kill him._

_His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a snapped branch and low huffing. Artie looked up and saw that would make most people faint from fear. Just at the end of the clearing, walking up to him without a care in the world, was a Silvertip bear or better known as a Grizzly Bear. He knew it was a Grizzly bear because it had pronounced hump on its shoulders and he most species of bear did not have this hump. Its fur was a typical brown in color with white tips. Judging from the size and the lack of cubs, Artie guessed it to be a male that was stretching its legs after a long winter. Artie was not undully frightened of the animal. He guessed that it had smelled the entrails and viscera of the rabbit, which he should have buried but left for Tobias when he showed up, and figured it could get an easy meal._

_The bear reared up on its hind legs and roared, trying to scare him away._

_Artie slipped on the quiver, just in case, and motioned to the rabbit guts, "I'm not gonna eat it, go ahead."_

_The bear cocked its head and Artie heard its voice in his head, "Really?"_

_Artie nodded, "I was saving for a friend, but you can have it."_

_The bear trotted up to the fire and sniffed the pile of bloody organs, "Thank you, master."_

_Artie often wondered why animals, no matter how large and dangerous, called him master. He guessed it had to do with his Olympian parent, but he wasn't entirely sure. As the bear ate the organs, he reached for the rabbit that just finished cooking. As he reached for it, he heard a branch snap loudly behind him followed by something large and heavy swinging through the air with wicked swish. Not bothering to look, he dived forward over the small fire he had built and came up from a roll next to the bear. His new friend stopped eating and roared, nearly deafing Artie as he turned to see a large club smash the space where had been only a second ago._

_The man was giant, and near naked giant at that. He wore an animal pelt as a robe, a single strap holding up the garment on his right shoulder. Around his neck, dangled some sort of tooth necklace, though Artie wasn't sure what animal the tooth had originally belonged to. No pants covered the thick muscular tree trunks that were undoubtedly his leg. His feet, like Artie's, were bare. But the size were monstrous in comparison. He was covered in thick body hair, like a caveman, with only parts of his face devoid of it. His hair flowed in long unwashed clumps behind him that matched his full unkempt beard. Artie might have been tall for his age, but this man had to be close to giant height. And judging by the thick ripping muscles he possessed, he was certainly just as strong as one. He certainly smelled like one, but Artie knew this was not a monster. As horrid as he smelled, this man was demigod. But that did not make him a friend as he guessed from his surprise attempt to kill. He glanced at the weapon and gulped. He carried a hardened wood club that could have passed for tree trunk in his right hand. The bear charged the man, roaring in defiance. Artie took off, thanking his luck he had the thought to slip on his quiver. He made it to the edge of the clearing before he heard a pained yelp and turned. The man giant had the bear by the throat. It hung limp and lifeless in his massive hand. The man smiled at Artie as he threw the bear to ground and brought down the club, in one massive powerful blow to the head, and killed it._

_The man casually placed the now bloodstained club on his shoulder and regarded bear with an unimpressed sneer, "You think after a few hundred years and just as many dead bears, they'd learn their lesson." He looked up Artie and gave him a quick once over. "A bit scrawny, but you're fast for a demigod."_

_Artie found his voice, "Who are you?"_

_"Orion," He leaned forward on his club like a cane. "Son of Poseidon and the greatest hunter in the world."_

_"Why did you attack me?"_

_"Thought you were someone else." Orion shrugged like it didn't really matter to him. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you look like a young girl from the back. Especially with your hair tied back like that."_

_"So you meant to kill a little girl?" Artie wasn't sure he understood._

_"Not just any little girl." Orion scratched his beard. "I'm still wondering how you dodged my club. I've never seen anyone, not even other demigods, move that fast." Orion studied intently at Artie. "Funny, I know its impossible, and yet . . ."_

_Quick as lighting, Orion reached inside his animal pelt and hurled something towards Artie. Artie rolled forward and came up just as quickly. He turned to see a knife made of bone embedded in the tree he had been standing in front of. Artie switched his gaze to Orion as he charged with his club. Like an old fashioned, and incredibly dangerous, game of whack a mole, Orion began pounding his club into the ground as Artie dodged each and every blow. After rolling forward to avoid being pounded into the ground, Artie scrambled up a tree like a frightened squirrel. He was quite a ways above the ground when he looked down at Orion who was smiling as he had just confirmed something. And he was a giddy as school girl._

_"So it is true." Orion gasped. "She really went ahead and sired a child."_

_"What are you talking about?" Artie called down._

_"Only one person, one god, could have a child that moves like that." Orion answered. "A child that moves like an animal of the forest and speaks with the animals that roam them."_

_"I think you've mistaken me for someone else."_

_"Look at your hands, boy." Orion told him._

_Artie did and saw what he meant. The nearest branch to ground was still a meter above his head. In his haste, Artie had assumed he was simply holding on for dear life, which he was no matter how looked at it, but he was wrong. His nails had grown into inch and a half long claws that dug into the bark._

_"Get down here!" Orion stomped the ground with his foot to indicate exactly where._

_Artie shook his head like a bratty child. "No!"_

_Orion didn't bother asking again and reared his club back. Artie wasn't guessed the club would turn into an axe so Orion chop down the tree, but he was only half right. The tree Artie had escaped was fairly thin and splintered when it met with Orion's club a few times. Then suddenly found the tree began to lean and lean until it fell to ground. Rather than continuing to being a literal treehugger, Artie leaped off the tree as it fell and took off in a sprint. Artie could help notice, as Orion gave chance behind him, that the forest had somehow gained an eerie aura to it. The full moon gleamed in the pitch black sky of the night, behind a cluster of clouds. In the distance owls chattered loudly sending chills down his spine. As he ran through the now suddenly deserted forest, twigs cracked under his feet. Beads of sweat gathered on his forehead despite the cool night air. The wind whistled over him and he could feel his own panicked fright consuming him bit by bit. His quiver banged against his back, useless without a bow, with each and every step. As he ran, he could hear Orion's thunderous footsteps as well as his voice._

_"I can hunt any creature on the earth, boy." Orion bellowed, sounding a lot closer than Artie want him to sound. "I'm the greatest hunter the world has seen."_

_Artie glanced behind him as he increased his pace. He couldn't see Orion, but he could hear him. And judging by the sound he was making, any sound hunter would take care make the least amount possible, he was gaining ground. Artie was so busy looking behind him that he failed to see what was in front him. As he collided with something, part of him was glad it was not a tree. At his speed, running into a tree would have severely injured him and most likely rendered him unconscious. That wasn't to say running to a person was pleasant. Like in old cartoons, he and the girl he had run into tumbled head over heels and everything else. It was just bad luck that they had collided at the top of small hill and rolled entangled all the way to the base. Once the world had stopped tumbling, Artie sat up and looked at who he ran into. He guessed her to be older than him, though not by much. Probably sixteen or seventeen at the most. She had long, silky black hair that was now matted with blood. Artie guess her head had hit rock in the fall and it had rendered her unconscious since she continued to lay there. He also saw she had coppery-like skin, a slightly upturned nose, and a silver circlet around her head. It was when Orion roared in frustration that Artie was jerked out of his examination. Orion had mentioned he was trying to kill a girl, and this could very well be that girl._

_He put his arms under her, grateful for her light weight, and threw her over his shoulder. He gazed around, unsure where to go. He knew he couldn't run fast enough with this girl on his back. This was normally where Tobias would screech as he flew overhead and gave Artie a direction, but he did not come. With nothing to lose, Artie cast his gaze upward._

_He said to the night sky. "A little help?"_

_Suddenly a gust of wind blew, pushing a cloud past the full moon. A single bright ray of moonlight shone down a little distance away, illuminating a small river flowing gently through a field. He silently thanked whatever god had helped him and started towards the river. He began walking but quickly hastened to a heavy jog when he heard Orion closing in. When he reached the river, he wondered how was going to cross it since there was no bridge and it was too deep and wide to ford it with a sleeping girl on his back. He looked around and spotted a small rotting log. He quickly but gently, set the girl over the log and pushed it into the river. Once the log did not sink, Artie paddled and reached the otherside. Tired from running, carrying the girl on his back, and paddling across a river, Artie reached the other side slower than he planned. So much so, that Orion stood on the opposite riverbank just as he took the girl off the log and laid her down on the ground. Orion stared at the river and smiled._

_"Son of Poseidon, remember?" That was when Orion began walking across it like it wasn't even there._

_Artie raised an eyebrow and looked to the sky, "I meant a little help for me."_

_Once he reached Artie, Orion noticed the unconscious girl and looked surprised, "Well if it isn't little Zoë Nightshade."_

_Artie stood in front of the girl, Zoë Nightshade he now knew, with his arms out. "This is between you and me."_

_"Not anymore." Orion swatted the young demigod aside with his club. "Your mother would hate to lose this Hunter."_

_Artie was to busy flying back like a cannonball to catch that last part. Like Ares, Orion's club sent Artie flying into something hard and unforgiving, a large boulder. Artie could hear before he felt his bones break when he connected with the boulder. He was sure if he had been going faster, the sudden stop would have killed him outright. His mind was muddle mess of pain and dizziness as he tried to push himself up, his arms too far shattered to hold any of his weight. He then tried his leg, those were in better condition but still broken. He could just barely see Orion raise his club high overhead. He glanced at the girl at his feet, still out cold. His eye caught something gripped in her hand. It was a silver bow, now he just had to reach it. With his limbs in a broken heap, he wasn't sure how._

_Then the clouds parted._

_The pain seemed to just fade away as it bathed Artie in its radiant light. He saw the lumps that stuck out from under his skin, clear evidence his bones had snapped like twigs, shrink and melt back under the surface. He stood and found he was fully healed. Then he glanced at Orion, his club raised as high as he could reach, and took off like a rocket. Just as Orion brought down his club, Artie materialized in front of Zoë. He scooped up her bow, reached for an arrow from his quiver, and fired. Orion roared in pain as waves of electricity ran through his body, dropping his club next to him. Artie wasn't sure how the arrow had not frozen Orion like Ares, then realized that he had been thinking in the back of his mind that he doubted even one of Zeus' lightning bolts could stop him. What had Hephaestus told him about the quiver? He could have any arrow he could think of. The quiver was linked to his thoughts._

_Orion fell to one knee and breathed hard, "Impressive, but not enough."_

_Artie racked his brain to remember what had killed Orion in the old stories. He brightened when he remembered. He reached for another arrow, aimed, and fired. When the arrow was only foot away from Orion, it exploded and covered him in black shiny spiders. No, not spiders Artie saw when the smoke cleared, but dozens upon dozens of tiny pit scorpions from depths of Tartarus. The same kind that Luke would use years later on Percy. Artie had focused on a giant scorpion like Hera had sent when he drew the arrow, but apparently the quiver had limits. Orion dared not move as the little arachnids crawled up, down, and around him. One false movement and he would be injected with enough venom to kill a hundred demigods, and that was just from one scorpion._

_Orion stared daggers at Artie. "Still not enough."_

_Artie responded with throwing a fistful of dirt. Orion responded without thinking and moved to cover his eyes. It was like he had been injected with molten lead from every single pore on his skin. He fell back, crushing the few unfortunate arachnids that had skittered to his back. Artie saw the venom had become to take effect as Orion's wound had begun to smoke. Orion managed to turn his head and face Artie._

_"Enjoy this little victory." he coughed. "I'll be back."_

_Artie tuned his head as Orion began to glow bright like the sun. When he looked Orion had disappeared, even the scorpions were gone. Artie fell to his knees and breathed hard. Now that he was gone, Artie remembered the story of Orion. He had been, for a time, Artemis's companion and friend. And since Artemis was the goddess of the moon, that made Orion her ally. Now Artie realized what the final line from his prophecy meant. Tobias landed on the log with a flutter of wings and looked at Artie quizzically, as if to ask what he had missed.  
_

_"__Beware the moon's ally or you shall fail._" Artie chuckled to himself. "Check."  


_He only had dwelled on his near death experience for a moment when he heard several footsteps behind him. He turned only to come face to face with nearly two dozen arrows, all held by young girls wearing white shirts, silver jackets, silvery camo pants and black combat boots._

_Artie looked up at the sky with contempt, "What are you? Bored up there?"_

* * *

Artie was jerked out his memory when he heard the unmistakable siren of police car. He looked behind and saw it was in fact several policemen, all of them on motorcycles. The gods only knew how many traffic laws he had broken in his trance. He did not have time to deal with them and looked around. He was halfway across the Verazano bridge heading into Staten Island. Like he had in Maine, Artie drove straight off the bridge at full speed. As he fell, he accelerated the engine to its limit so when he landed on the water, he and the bike would not shatter on felt no desire to look back the the gaping mouths of all the motorists and continued on his way. He switched on radio for some music to take his mind off his current misfortune, for a while at least. He would have like the song under any other circumstance, it was from a Ratpack classic Robin and The Seven Hoods and it was even Dean Martin singing, but not today.

_Any man who loves his mother_

_Is man enough for me_

_Brightening her eyes, sending her flowers_

_Though it's no anniversary_

_Many men want fame and fortune_

_It's gold they love to see_

_But I say a man who loves his mother_

_Is man enough for me_

Artie switched off the music with an angry flourish, "I'm not in the mood for your jokes, Apollo."


	10. The Lives And Times Of Artemis Gallezi

Everyone dared not move, except Dionysus who flipped through his wine magazine. Bianca helped Zoe to her feet as she coughed on the floor, recovering from Artie's forearm pressing on her neck.

"I-i-i-i-s it over yet?" whimpered Grover removing his rasta cap from his eyes. "Is he g-g-gone?"

"Yes my satyr." said Chiron as he clawed his heart.

Percy couldn't blame him. Deep down, Artie had somehow shook all of them on a primal level, like he was lion in a den of rabbits. Percy had always considered Artie to be harmless, unless you were a monster. Now Percy understood why Artie was avoiding everyone lately, even the people he considered friends. If you were to catch him at the end of a really bad day or made him furious, like Zoe had, he was liable to rip your throat out with his bare hands if he was unable to keep himself in check.

What terrified Percy, and he guessed everyone else as well, was what Artie swore before leaving. _If you ever, EVER, say that again. I swear on the River Styx with the gods, titans, and very earth itself as my witness ; I will cast you so deep in Tartarus that even Hades himself won't be able find you even I have to go down with you._

"Someone want to explain what just happened?" asked Bianca.

"You mean how Artie just went Rambo on Zoe?" asked Travis Stoll as if he wasn't sure he believed it himself.

"I never knew he had a temper like that." said Silena, almost whispering."If Appolonia hadn't stopped him . . ."

"If he hurts anyone, its on you." Appolonia settled back in her chair, "I warned you about making him mad, Zoë."

Chiron cleared his throat to get everyone attention. He waited until Zoe and Bianca had sat down before speaking, "This is meeting is over. The rest of you may leave. Zoë and Bianca, stay. Thalia, Percy, and Appolonia you as well." Chiron stayed silent until the rest of the councilors left. "While I don't approve of his reaction, I understand it, and it's time the rest of you do as well. Especially you Zoe, you need to see this the most." Chiron fished a drachma out of pouch and poured water onto a hot plate to create a rainbow and tossed the drachma. "Iris, goddess of the rainbow please accept my offering. Show us the life of Artemis Raposo Gallezi."

* * *

**(NINETEEN YEARS AGO - NEAR THE ALASKAN CANADIAN BORDER)**

_The rainbow swirled. Suddenly Percy and everyone else were looking at clearing in a dark forest during winter. The trees and ground covered in snow as more of it rained down gently, covering the ground in fresh powder. The only light was the rays of a full moon in the cloudless night. Suddenly three people burst into the clearing. A man, a women Percy guess to be his wife, and a small boy holding his mother's hand. The boy didn't look older than three. They stopped to catch thier breath. The man had deep-set brown eyes that were like two splotches of mud. His fine, straight, very short hair was the color of charcoal that matched his thick full beard He had a broad-shouldered build and cream-colored skin. He wore a dark red and black hunting jacket and matching cap. Old and worn looking boots protected his feet from the cold air. He watched the way they came, keeping his rifle ready. Percy turned his attention to the women holding the hand of the small child. The woman slitted cobalt-blue eyes. Her thick straight hair was the color of black coffee, and worn in a dignified yet uncomplicated ponytail. She was very tall and with a narrow build that made her seem much taller then she was. Her skin is cream-colored, like the man, and had slightly pouty lips. Judging from the blood on her clothes and the blood splatered on the man's clothes and face, Percy guessed they were being chased._

_"Did . . . we . . . lose . . . them?" asked the woman as she breathed hard._

_"I'm not sure." the man answered. "I don't hear anything and it's too dark to see anything. Still we should keep moving."_

_"I'm tired mommy." said the boy. "Can't we go home?"_

_"Soon baby." she told him as she hugged him. "Soon."_

_"Let's go, I know a cave not to far from here. We can bunker down there for — "_

_The man didn't finsh. A gunshot shattered the silence of the forest and the man fell to floor. The woman screamed as she picked up the boy and ran for her life. She was four feet away before another gunshot broke the night's silence. She fell with the boy in arms. The boy struggled to get out from under her. Percy could see she had been wounded severely like the man, her husband and the boy's father Percy assumed._

_The shook her as tears streamed down his face, "Mommy?"_

_She coughed and held his hand as she tried to smile, "Run baby. Run and don't look back."_

_He sniffled, "But mommy — "_

_"I know you're scared baby . . . I love you . . . but you need to go now."_

_The boy wiped his face, kissed his mother, and began running into the forest. The mother smiled as he got several feet into the forest, then a third and final gunshot exploded and she saw her son fall._

_"NO!" she screamed and began crying._

_"You should have thought about him when you ratted us out to feds." said man who entered the clearing._

_Percy saw he had several scars on his face. He was wearing old army boots and camo clothes. On his head was an old rangers beret with writing Percy couldn't make out in the darkness and an eye patch on his left eye. In his hands was an old but clearly still deadly hunting rifle. The way the man smiled, reminded of him Echidna. Cocky and snakelike. He had round brown eyes that were like two rotten acorns. He was bald, but had a thick soot-black beard and mustache. He was tall with a lithe build. His skin was tanned brown from spending countless hours in the hot sun. He walked up and kneeled to the crying women._

_He pointed to his eye patch, "Still getting used it. Won't lie to ya darling, it's added a couple of strokes to my game, but it gets the job done."_

_She tried to to move but he held her down with a hand. She mumbled something and he bent lower, "You might wanna speak up darling."_

_"Why?"_

_He scratched his chin, "Well, when you gave the feds our entire operation, the boss lost a bundle and several clients didn't get thier prized pets."_

_"You . . . mean . . . they set free endangered species. You and your men poached." said the women between pained choked sobs,_

_Percy could see what she was doing._

_On the very edge of the mist, was the little boy crawling away. He was dragging himself inch by inch pulling himself with only his arms. His mother was doing her best to keep the man focused on her, to give her son a chance to escape. He made it maybe a foot before he grabbed a root which snapped._

_No, pleaded Percy silently, don't notice him. _

_The man looked and saw the boy crawling. He smiled to the women, "Tough little hombre you get there darling, too bad he won't get far."_

_"He shall get farther than you." said a voice._

_The man turned and was face to face with Artemis as she floated a few feet off the ground. The goddess looked exactly as she had when she had met Percy and his friends in Maine, silver streaked auburn colored hair and silvery eyes that matched Artie's incredibly beautiful. The man dropped the gun and began to groan in pain. His face grew longer as antlers sprouted from his head. His clothes fell off and Percy could see his hands and feet were shrinking, becoming hooves. Before long the man was nothing more than a common deer. Artmies regarded him coldly and whistled. The whistle was answered with the howls of wolves. The deer took off instantly followed by a huge wolf pack that ran into the clearing and chased after him. Percy was sure he wouldn't get far, not if Artemis had anything to say about it. Artemis turned and saw the women was stumbling toward her son who had now was sitting up against a tree. The man was draggin himself against the ground, much like the boy had, and rejoined the woman and child She sat up against the tree and cradled the boy in her arms, all the while whispering and crying to him. The man hugged them close as he tried to control his hiccuping sobs. They looked up as Artemis stopped and regarded them and dying child in thier arms._

_"Please save him." he begged the goddess. "He's all we have."_

_"I cannot." she answered with a look of sympathy._

_"But we saw you . . . " said the women, pointing to where the deer stood before the wolves came._

_The goddess seem to be considering something. It was several moments before she spoke. "There is a way, but it would require a great sacrafice on your part. Both of you."_

_"Anything . . . " she coughed up blood. "Anything. I'll do anything."_

_"Me too." the man coughed up blood as well." Just save our little Artie."_

_"Very well." Artemis laid a hand on the woman's chest as well as the man's. "Before I do this, what is the boy's name? Arthur?"_

_The women smiled, "Star. His name is Artemis Star."_

_The man smiled as half chuckled as he coughed up more blood. "It was his favorite story when he was a baby."_

_Artemis smiled, "A good name. I shall make sure he turns that name into a title."_

_Suddenly the women and glowed bright silver and shrank into small balls of light in the hands of the goddess. She combined them in one hand and blew the ball over dying Artemis Star. The boy began to glow bright like he was absorbing what little light the moon gave and ampliphied tenfold. A huge flash erupted so bright Percy and everyone else had to look away. The sound of crying infant began to fill the silent the light finally died, Percy saw Artemis holding a bright silver bundle which gurgled and was hard to see but Percy knew what he just saw._

_Artemis was holding little baby Artie._

* * *

With a wave of his hand, Chiron froze the image. "Artie was originally born a mortal to a normal mother and father. His mother, Megan Beretti, was part of an environmentalist group that fought against poaching of endangered species. She discovered there was group within them that used the group as cover to sell endangered animals to the highest bidder. She reported them to the authorities and stopped them."

Percy looked to see Zoe's reaction. She looked ashamed while Bianca was doing her best not to look shocked. Thalia looked angry as she clenched her fist, her nails digging into the table. Apollonia was impassove, but tears ran down her face. Percy guessed that even she didn't know all of Artie's past. With something like that, Percy doubted Artie would ever tell anyone, even Apollonia.

Chiron continued, "She eventually married William Star, a recreational hunter, and had a son they named Artemis Star, Artie. However no good deed goes unpunished. The ones in charge gathered enough funds to hire an assassain to kill her and her family. As you saw, Artie was the sole survior. Artemis's magic returned him to the begining of infancy. While Artie had been born a full mortal, from then on he was a half blood."

Grover had a question, "But Chiron that looked southern Alaska, how did Artie get all the way to Rio? He didn't even learn english till he got here."

Chiron nodded, "There is still more to see." He waved his hand and the image shifted, "We have only begun to see how Fates shaped the boy."

* * *

**(NINETEEN YEARS AGO - MOUNT OLYMPUS) **

_Percy now saw what looked like Olympus. The room was spacious and reminded him of a cabin lodge. The room was furnished with old wooden furniture and several stuffed animals heads were mounted over a stone fireplace. There was even a bear skin rug rolled in front of a roaring fire. Artemis was sitting on a chair staring at wooden grandfather clock. The way she stared at the clock made it seem it was counting down to something bad. Then suddenly the door flew open, revealing the the silhouette of tall thin teenager. Artemis must have just as surprised because she just stared as Apollo sang, his voice sounding like multiple people. It was an old song Percy guessed, something his mother might have listened to when she was young. One of those songs that never goes quite out of style._

_Carry on my wayward son_

_There'll be peace when you are done_

_Lay your weary head to rest_

_Don't you cry no more_

_Apollo then began strum his air guitar, somehow making it sound as if a drummer and bass player were in the room with him. Artemis tried several times to have her brother to turn down the music, but Apollo was to far lost in the music as he continued playing his air guitar. It was as if Apollo had brought a Kansas concert with him. Then again, he was the patron god of music, he probably could if he wanted even if the band was no longer together._

_"APOLLO!" shouted Artemis over the music, shaking the room to its core._

_Needless to say Apollo stopped his impromptu concert._

_"Aw sis." he complained. "I was just getting to the good — is that a baby crying?"_

_"Oh dear." gasped Artemis. She opened her arms and baby Artie appeared in her arms, wrapped in a wool blanket and crying._

_Apollo just stared, dumbfounded as his sister, rocked Artie to calm him. "You didn't . . ."_

_"No." she quickly answered. "Not in the way you're thinking."_

_"So he really is . . .?" Apollo asked, the word stuck in his craw._

_"The closest thing you have to a nephew." She said handing Artie over to him._

_Artie yawned as Apollo smiled sadly, "You can't keep him here."_

_"That's why I asked you to come. I've kept him hidden for a month while I looked for his family, but he doesn't have any. Both his mother and father are dead."_

_Apollo smiled slightly, "I'd hardly say his mother is dead."_

_Artemis ignored the ribbing. "I'm at my wits end with him. I don't understand how mortals put up with them. The crying alone is driving me mad and he always seems to be hungry."_

_Apollo sniffed and held Artie at arm's length. "What exactly have you been feeding him?"_

_Again Artemis ignored the question. "Are you going to help me or not?"_

_A golden crib appeared, complete with a mobile which Apollo spun after he set Artie in it. "Alright. So you said his mother and father are dead?"_

_"Yes. Both were killed."_

_"Hang on. I get his father his dead, but if he's your — "_

_"He's mine yes, but like I said before not in the way you're thinking. Now please get back to the problem at hand."_

_"Okay . . . any older siblings? Aunts? Uncles? Grandparents?"_

_Artemis shook her head. "Like his parents, he is an only child. And both sets of grandparents have long passed."_

_Apollo frowned as he leaned over the edge of the crib and watched Artie reach for the mobile. He let Artie grab his finger "Quite a grip he's got there. He definitely has your hair."_

_"Apollo!" The room shook slightly with her anger. "Would it kill you to focus?"_

_Apollo waved his hand and boombox appeared floating above the crib. "I think better with some ambiance."_

_Artemis rolled her eyes. "Fine. Just something quiet. Maybe something help him sleep."_

_Apollo pressed play and a loud rock song came on. Percy was sure it was from Metalica's new album. Instantly Artie began to cry much to his mother's displeasure. Artie did not let up as Apollo continually pressed the next song button. Percy had known Artie's taste in music was retro to say the least. He shared Chiron's taste for Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra and since he met Appolonia, he had discovered mariachi. But the music you could always count on him to listen to or play was the music from his home country, Samba. Which is exactly what finally came on that stopped Artie from crying._

_"He stopped" gasped Artemis. "I . . . I think he likes that."_

_Apollo closed his eyes as he listened. "Ahh Samba, I miss Rio."_

_"Rio?"_

_Apollo nodded. "The second largest city of Brazil, Rio De Janerio. Most just call it Rio though."_

_"And you've been there?"_

_"Yeah, during Carnival."_

_"Did you meet anyone there?"_

_"Well yeah. People come from all over for . . ." Apollo trailed off as he realized what his sister was gettting at. "Ohhh . . . you sly fox."_

_Artemis was trying not to smile at her brother. "It's perfect. The city is surrounded by jungles, mountains, and the sea so he should be safe."_

_"Yeah you're right." Apollo agreed. "There aren't many monsters south of Mexico."_

_"I meant safe from the other gods." Artemis explained._

_"That too I guess." Apollo admitted. "I'd hate to think how Ares would test him."_

_"Or Aphrodite." added the goddess. "I wouldn't put it past her to try something. We have never seen eye to eye."_

_Artie squealed and Artemis picked her up. She rocked him as he grabbed playfully at her hair. For a second she looked torn, not sure whether to hand over the infant. "Please tell me she will take care of him. This woman, she has had a child with already hasn't she?_

_Apollo nodded. "Won't even take much convincing on my part. She said she wanted to have two. He should be safe with her until he's ready."_

_Artemis looked at baby in her arms who smiled at her. She sighed and reluctantly handed Artie to Apollo. She rubbed her arms as she looked away fighting the urge to take back the infant._

_Apollo put hand on her shoulder, "It's always hard the first time. But he'll be fine I promise."_

_"Before you take him, I have a gift for him."_

_She took out a red feather from with in her white dress. She crushed the feather in her hand and blew it into the air. There a small flash of light and red tailed hawk appeared with a triumphant screech._

_"Tobias . . . " whispered Percy to himself._

_Tobias fluttered to Artemis's shoulder, She motioned to Artie. "I want you to watch over him. Do what I can't and protect him." The bird cawed gently and locked eyes with Artie who grabbed at him playfully._

_"You really think that's a good idea?" asked Apollo._

_Artemis gave him a look._

_"Just making sure." He looked at Artie, "Come on sobrinho, time to meet your new home."_

* * *

Again Chiron froze the image. He spoke to everyone, but Percy thought he sounded like he was speaking directly to Zoe. "While he thinks otherwise, Lady Artemis did have feelings for Artie. Though she could not risk raising the boy on Olympus against all ancient laws."

"In all my years serving Lady Artemis." said Zoe almost in shock at what she saw ."Never had seen her so . . . " She couldn't even finish her thought.

"Apollo brought the child to mortal woman in Rio. He had already sired a son with her three years previously and asked of her to watch over the child until he was ready for Camp Half Blood." explained Chiron. "For eight years the boy grew a lived a normal life, but it was not to last."

"Please no more." pleaded Zoe. "I see my mistake now."

"Yes you do, but not how severe."Chiron waved his once more and scene shifted.

* * *

**(ELEVEN YEARS AGO - RIO DE JANERIO, BRAZIL)**

_Percy saw he was watching a little league soccer game. The stands were occupied by parents who cheered on thier kids. On the far end was Artemis watching the game. Percy followed her gaze to a little kid who was bouncing a ball off his body keeping it in the air. His number was ten which Percy knew was Pele's number, Brazil's most famous soccer player. Artemis seemed more like a bored twelve year old than a goddess. Percy guessed she must have gotten over her feelings for Artie for the most part but she still cared enough to pop in every now and then. Secretly Percy was jealous of how much Artie's Olympian parent cared for him and he wondered if Poseidon ever checked in on him. He liked to think he had. A whistle blew and the game began. Artemis watched for a time without moving a muscle. A ghost of smiled appeared on her face as she watched Artie steal the ball and outran everyone else before scoring a goal._

_"Well if it isn't mother of the year." said gruff familiar voice._

_Artemis turned to see Ares sit down next to her with a bag on peanuts which he ate with gusto._

_Artemis was clearly surprised, "What are you doing here?"_

_Ares shrugged, "Same as you. Watching a little league soccer game, unless it's something more for you."_

_Percy guess she was about to tell him off when another person sat down next Ares. She had perfect make-up and skin with silky smooth light brown hair. She wore a mid driff and a skirt with matching shoes and purse. She looked familiar to Percy, but he was certain he never met this women before._

_The new women smiled at Artemis, "Oh don't mind us. You looked so preoccupied during the council. We assumed you might need assistance. Who would have thought you didn't want to miss your boy's soccer game." She crossed her legs and scanned the field. She frowned and asked Artemis,"Which one is he?"_

_The crowd cheered as Artie scored another goal, "One guess." said Ares pointing to Artie, "Little Pele there."_

_Aphrodite leaned to see and smiled, "Oh he's cute as a little rabbit. And fast too, the others don't stand a chance."_

_"You got that right." agreed Ares tossing the empty peanut bag over his shoulder._

_"So why are you two here?"asked Artemis again._

_"Like I said, we were just curious." answered Aphrodite._

_"Speaking of curiosity, how old is the little runt?" Ares asked._

_Artemis looked insulted when he called Artie runt, but she just said curtly,"Eight. He's eight years old."_

* * *

Again Chiron froze the image. Although he kept a straight face, his tone told Percy the worst part was yet to come. He looked to Zoe, who clearly wanted to leave, but she just stared at the image as if she knew what was coming and it wouldn't make it any easier. He felt sorry for her, it was hard to watch but it must have been torture for her. He looked at the others. Bianca and Silena were wiping thier eyes, even Grover wiped his nose on his shirt.

"Eight years old." repeated Chiron. "The child barely enjoyed his second life for a decade when it all came crashing down, costing the boy everything. And all his mother could do was watch as her child was hunted like an animal for four years."

"He wasn't any older than Annabeth when Luke and I found her." realized Thalia.

She had kept so quiet Percy had completly forgotten she was even there. Then he thought about what she said. Thalia and Luke had found Annabeth after she ran away from home at seven years old. Percy then remembered what Annabeth had said to him when he first arrived at camp and asked about Artie, _Lots run away from home and have to fend for themselves. Its not uncommon for them to find other half bloods and group up, though not all do._

Chiron nodded grimly, "Yes but the trials that laid ahead of him would be much harsher and unforgiving. Let us watch."

* * *

**(ELEVEN YEARS AGO - RIO DE JANERIO, BRAZIL)**

_The imaged shifted as Chiron waved his hand over it. Artie was walking down a street tossing a soccer ball in the air as he walked. Tobias flew over head keeping pace with him. Despite the lack of streetlight, Artie seemed to know exactly where he was going. He turned the corner and saw the door was open. Percy guessed it was his home as Artie put down the ball and carefully peeked inside. It was . He looked younger but still evil as Percy saw him with his sinister scowl and mismatched eyes. He was holding Artie's stepmother in the air by her neck as she kicked, struggling to get free. Tears streamed down her bruised face while pulled at Thorn's grip on her neck. Percy could see why she was crying, and it was just because Thorn had bruised her face. In the doorway that lead to another room, a pair of white sneakers stuck out, small enough to fit a twelve year old. Percy understood instantly and he wished he didn't. It was Artie's step brother, the son Apollo sired three years before he brought Artie to Rio. If it wasn't for the fact that it was Thorn, Percy would have just told himself it was just pair of shoes rather than accept the truth._

_Percy glanced at everyone else. Thalia gripped the table so hard her knuckles turned white and shook with such force. Grover was clearly horrified and counting their lucky stars it wasn't him. Again, Appolonia remained impassive as tears ran down her face and neck only to be absorbed by her shirt. Bianca and Silena were wiping their eyes determined not to break down. Zoe just stared at the image like she was in trance. Percy guessed she was close to her breaking point. Percy turned as he heard Thorn speak. He thought he would have a hard time understanding since Thorn was speaking Portuguese, but the image displayed subtitles in ancient Greek. Like a foreign film for demigods._

_"Where is he?" hissed Thorn. "Where is the boy?"_

_"ir para o inferno" She responded._

_Thorn tightened his grip on her neck and she yelped. "Tell me where he is and I might make it quick." he growled._

_She just spat in his face defiantly. Thorn roared and threw her down, right in front of Artie who yelped. Percy barely heard it, but Thorn smiled triumphantly. He threw off his coat and shifted into his true form. He looked exactly as Percy last saw him. He had a body of a lion with razor sharp claw protruding from his front paws. His barbed tailed flexed like a cat waiting to pounce on an unknowing mouse. He displayed his shark like teeth as he smiled smugly. He advanced slowly, savoring the meal that was surely to come._

_"Run!" screamed his mother. "Run before-"_

_Thorn silenced her, permanently._

_His tailed stabbed downward and entered the base of her neck. Artie fell back as tripped trying to get away. He just looked up at the monster who had just killed his brother and mother. He switched his gazed between his mother and the monster, as if he couldn't believe or comprehend what had just happened or what was about to happen._

_Thorn brought up his tail with Artie's mother still attached. He flicked his tail and she fell to the floor, "That's right boy, run and let's see how long you last."_

_Thorn fired several spines from his tail. Artie rolled as they land just above him in the door. He slammed the door and nearly fell when Thorn crashed through the door and chased after him. He roared, sensing the kill to come._

_Something's wrong, thought Percy._

_Artie clearly wasn't running a fast as he could or rather as fast he had come to expect. Thorn was clearly toying with him. He would catch up and then let Artie get a little farther. Occasionally Thorn would lanch a volley of spines, forcing Artie to turn to avoid them. Thorn was corraling him into a corner, sooner or later Artie would reach a dead end, literally. Percy continued to watch as Artie did hit a dead end, or so he thought. There was solid wall on either side of the alley, but Artie did not slow down. Thorn turned the corner and smiled that evil smile. Then something happened._

_Artie began to gain speed and did something amazing. Using a pile of crates like a set of stairs, he jumped on top of them and leapt towards the top of the wall. His fingertips were all that stopped him from falling down. He managed to haul himself up just as Thorn decended on him. He rolled off the top of the wall and crashed through some wooden crates stacked against the wall. Percy winced when he landed and again when Artie stepped out covered in cuts and splinters. Artie pulled out some of the larger pieces but stopped when a large paw appeared on the top of the wall his just scaled. Percy saw he had two choices and seconds to decide. Artie looked to his left and saw a steep desent that ended with the beach and ocean. He then looked to the right which lead to the forest surrounding the city with the jungle not far behind it. Artie took a step to the left but stopped when a hawk's screech turned his attention to the sky. Tobias screeched again and now circled the path that lead to the jungle. Thorn cleared the wall just as Artie took off towards the jungle. He continued running toward a tall security gate, with Thorn on his heels. Again Artie began pulling away from Thorn who continued to fire spines, each time nearly connecting. Thorn was becoming frustrated with the fact his prey was proving difficult and it showed on his face as poured on the speed to catch Artie. Then Percy realized that Artie was running towards another dead end and this time he wouldn't be able to climb it. Artie started to slow as he saw the bright orange sign on the gate. Percy couldn't read it but he knew from the picture of a skeleton with lightning coming out of it meant that the gate was electrified, probably to stop from wild animals from entering the city. Artie skidded to halt a few feet from the gate. He looked behind him._

_Thorn was mad. He continued his relentless pace towards Artie. Percy had the feeling Thorn did not plan on slowing down at all , he wanted to trample Artie for all the trouble he was giving him. Artie kept switching his gaze between Thorn and the gate behind, like he was trying think of a plan. He had maybe a minute before Thorn was on him. He touched the fence tentatively and found it was not live. With that in mind, he scrambled up the fence with surprising speed, though he received several cuts and punctures from the barbed wire that sat at the top of the fence. Artie had just finished lowering himself when he saw how close Thorn was. He looked around like a panicked rabbit under a hawk's eye. He spotted a box mounted on a pole only a few feet away. He ran to it and pried it open. The switch was old and was difficult, but Artie dug in heels and threw it up. It was just in time as he began to hear the fence hum with power. Thorn tried to stop when he saw what Artie had done, but barreled full speed into the electric gate. Percy must have missed how fast Thorn was going because he almost went all the way through. He created a hole large enough for a small car to fit through. Percy could see Thorn was beyond furious as he struggled against the gate on top of him and the volts coursing through his body._

_"This proves nothing child." he barked at Artie as he struggled. "I've not let a prey escape in over a thousand years. So go now and begin your life of fear for so long as we both draw breath, I WILL NOT YIELD!"_

_Thorn continued yelling and struggling as Artie took off into the jungle and disappeared in the thick foliage followed by Tobias closely behind. The view panned and turned to show Artemis standing high above the ground on a thick branch, surveying what her son had just done. Percy couldn't see her face, but he liked to think she was impressed with what she saw._

* * *

Chiron froze the image."This was his first brush with our world. As you can see, he was not only able to survive, but he managed hold his own with a monster that would have killed any of you at his age."

"Don't you think you're giving the boy too much credit?" asked Mr. D. "He didn't kill the beast after all. Even after all these years, he couldn't do more than deliver a few injuries."

"I have no doubt that monster will meet his end at the boy's hand one way or another." Chiron said firmly. Chiron stared at the frozen image, "As you all know, Thorn was true to his word. He did let up in his pursuit of the boy. In a way he created his own worst enemy. Four years of cat and mouse turned the boy into a master of the wild which aided him greatly, no matter where he went. Still despite all this, he was never able to fight the creature directly." Chiron waved his hand over the image, each time showing Artie and Thorn in different locations and terrains, "The Andes mountians of Chile, the Garganta del Diablo waterfalls of Argentina, even the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador. For four years since that night the manticore pursued him all over south and central america.

"Until he managed to delay the monster enough for him to escape on a cruise ship heading for Florida." said Percy remembering what Annabeth and Grover had told them when he first met Artie.

Chiron nodded, "Yes. Let us see exactly how."

* * *

**(SEVEN YEARS AGO - CANCUN, MEXICO)**

_Once again the image shifted and saw a how much Artie had changed while he ran across a grassy field. All that survived of his clothes were his shorts which hung in tatters and were stained every which color. He was barefoot and shirtless. His hair was long and unclean, tied back in a ponytail. He clearly had not bathed in some time as mud and grime clung to him. Percy was surprised how little Artie had changed since he was eight and even now not much had changed. Sure he had gotten taller and more muscular, and he still had that deep tan from so much time in the sun. He still hadn't acquired his silver eyes but he still had that determined look that told Percy he was not the one to give up easily, like he took the manticore's words to heart, to never yield. Tobias screeched as lead Artie to some sort of decaying ruins covered in green moss and vines. Percy was sure he had seen this before in school but couldn't seem to remember where Artie was now or which ancient civilization had built these ruins. He was fairly sure Artie was still in northern south America, but that still covered a lot of ground._

_"Those are Aztec ruins." said Appolonia. "He's somewhere in Mexico, my guess is near Cancun since that where he hoped on the ship."_

_"How can you be sure?" asked Grover._

_"My mother's from Mexico and she used to take me there when I was little." she explained  
_

_Percy only heard every other word as he focused on Artie. As he ran, Percy could see Thorn chasing after him, flanked by two dracaenae. Thorn shot spines while one dracaenae threw javelins and the other threw bolas trying to stop Artie from running. It was like he had eyes in the back of his head, no matter what came at him Artie would simply move just enough for the projectile to miss so he would not have to slow down. Artie eventually ran into a large moss covered temple that looked like a slight breeze would knock the whole thing down. He stopped in the doorway to make sure Thorn saw him, he did. Percy could have sworn he saw a faint smile appear on his face before Artie ran inside. So he was leading them into a trap Percy realized, that's the Artie he had come to know._

_Thorn entered the temple with a dracaenae on each side. Percy could there was only way in or out and so did Thorn as he smiled. "Spread out and find him. He cannot escape this time."_

_"You sssaid that lassst time." hissed the dracaenae on his left as she advanced slowly._

_"And the three other timessss before that assss well." added the one on the right._

_Thorn motioned to the door, "This is the only way out and I'm not about to let him pass."_

_Where is he?, thought Percy._

_Artie had simply disappeared. There was nowhere to hide or so he thought. Some movement behind a large decaying statue caught his eye. It was Artie. He had squeezed into the space between the statue and the wall. He was crouching as he switched between the dracaenae and the ceiling, as if waiting for them to get into position for something. Percy could see he was holding a vine in his hands and saw it coming. Artie pulled the vine and two pieces of rock fell to the floor followed by two glass jars filled with green liquid._

_"Greek fire!" Thalia realized._

_The jars exploded as they hit the ground, completely engulfing the two in green flames. Thorn did nothing but growl as he saw his helpers scream as they burned to nothing, he wasn't about to let Artie escape._

_"Impressive child." he growled as he looked for him. "You have grown strong these past years but it will not save you."_

_Artie stepped out and locked eyes with the beast. They still had fear but not as much when he first met Thorn. Thorn shot two spines which missed as Artie dropped to the floor. Had Artie jumped to either side, the spine would have killed him. It seemed after four years, Thorn had run out of tricks._

_"You will not escape this time." smiled Thorn. "The only way out is this door and you will not pass."_

_Artie stepped on a fallen statue, three fallen statues to be exact. Percy thought that was strange when he saw all three had been tied together by three vines woven together to form a strong rope that lead to the ceiling. Artie said nothing a pulled a single vine that hung on his left. A large piece of rock fell from the roof. Sunlight poured in through the hole that Artie had taken the time to conceal. So there was another way out. Now the only problem was reaching a hole fifty feet overhead. Thorn seemed uneasy as was starting to put it together, but not fast enough. Artie grasped the rope made of woven vines and sliced it. The second he did, Artie shot into the air as if he could fly. Then Percy saw it. Once he cut the vines a large shadow appeared behind Thorn. Artie had used the statues to hold the weight of a huge boulder that would seal in anyone or anything inside the temple. As gravity took the boulder down, Artie would go up straight toward the hole in the roof. The image shifted slightly to show Artie on the roof of the temple he had just sealed .There was his silver backpack which he opened and tossed another jar of greek fire. Thorn howled in pain as Artie sealed the hole with a thin sheet of rock and piled small boulders the size of bowling balls on top of it. He took out a several pieces of paper of the pack and studied them for a time, ignoring the screams of agony below him. Percy could see he was staring at a map of the region. Artie looked to the sun and then to mountains in the distance as he determined his next move. He was interuppted by a screech of a hawk, a red tailed hawk to be exact._

_Tobias landed at his feet with a ticket and brochure in his beak. Artie took it and looked at it. Percy could see it was a brocure to a cruise ship. It would leave Cancun making stops all over the Caribbean for two weeks after making a stop in Florida. Florida was circled in red marker with the words written in ancient Greek, _

**_'Do not Reboard' _**

_Artie looked he was about to ask where Tobias had gotten it when he took off heading north calling him to follow. Artie looked at the ticket and then stuffed in his bag before sliding down a moss covered column and took off after Tobias. Artie disappeared in the distance as the view panned up to reveal Artemis and another woman sitting on a much higher part of the temple. The woman looked familiar to Percy. She had stormy grey like Annabeth and she wore similar earrings, little silver owls. She was wearing a simple white t-shirt, jeans and hiking boots. She looked to be about thirty, but she could have passed for someone much younger._

_"Impressive." remarked the women."He could pass for one of mine."_

_"Indeed." agreed Artemis." But I'm sure he could defeat even them."_

_"Really?" said the women, not insulted but interested. "Care to explain sister?"_

_Artemis smiled proudly, "I do not deny the intelligence or fighting skills of your children Athena, but he has one thing they do not posses or rather he has more of it."_

_"Which is?" asked Athena._

_"His will stronger than any other hero before him." Artemis said firmly. "You've said many times before. Where there is a will, there is a way, if I remember."_

_Athena surveyed the smoke escaping from the crack of the temple and the howling of Thorn as thrashed and roared, trying to escape the trap Artie had sprung. Percy had the feeling Athena didn't want to admit Artemis might be right._

_"Perhaps." she finally said. "But do you think it wise to have waited so long before sending the child to Camp Half Blood?"_

_"I'd ask the same thing of Zeus with his daughter." countered Artemis. "She spent two years on the run with that son of Hermes before they even learned of the camp's existence."_

_"True." agreed Athena." Do you think the child will make it?"_

_Artemis waited a moment before answering, "He has not disappointed me yet."_

_"Again sister." repeated Athena. "The boy is impressive."_

_The scene shifted until Percy saw and everyone saw the deck of a cruise ship. Tourists walked around with their families as the talked and laughed, enjoying their vacations. It took a minute or two for the people to clear and reveal Artie sitting on a deck chair with Tobias perched over him. Artie had somehow gained a tanktop, jean shorts, and sandals. His hair was slightly shorter, but still tied back in a ponytail. He watched everyone with hungry expression on his face, especially the kids laughing with their parents. He took out a picture from his back pocket,which just made him look worse. Percy could see it was a picture of his stepmother and brother on the beach in Rio, with the Christ the Redeemer statue on the mountain overlooking the city in the background. His mother was bending over to face the camera with an arm around Artie and his brother. They all were dressed for a day at the beach and laughing at the camera. Percy could see it must have been taken a little before Thorn had shown up at his home and ruined his life._

_"Lovely beaches." said a voice in Portuguese_

_The voice seemed familiar to Percy despite the unfamiliar language. Like before subtitles appeared in ancient Greek for anyone watching to understand what was being said. Artie looked and up and Percy gasped at who he saw. He was wearing his standard Hawaiian shirt, shorts, and flip flops. He had a trimmed beard and sea green eyes. On his head was a fisherman's hat with several lures hanging off of it. In his hands was a long sleek fishing pole. It was Percy's father. The lord of seas himself, Poseidon,_

_"What is my dad doing there?" asked Percy._

_"He does like to hang out around Florida or so I've been told." Grover pointed out_

_Percy watched as Artie spoke with his father. Something he hadn't gotten to do until two years later, well after Artie had arrived at Camp Half blood._

_"You're from Brazil?" asked Artie._

_"I could spend a hundred years on the ocean there and live off nothing but what I catch." said Poseidon, ignoring the question._

_"So you're tourist." concluded Artie._

_Poseidon tossed a small sardine to Tobias. "I just visit every now and then. As I said, lovely beaches and great place to fish. I know people say Sao Paulo is better, but I don't find it as relaxing as Rio."_

_"You speak Portuguese very well."_

_"When you've been around as long as I have, you learn it helps to speak the language." Poseidon motioned to the picture ."I take it you're from there or spent some time there. Your accent is too spot on for someone who took a class."_

_Artie looked down at the photo and took a while to answer as if he was careful with the word he used.,"Yeah I stayed a for while. Not as long I wanted though."_

_"Well the beaches in Florida are nice. You can catch me any day of the week chatting with fishermen or taking pictures for tourists. but I have a soft spot for one beach in particular."_

_Poseidon pulled out a map from his back pocket and showed it to Artie. He pointed to the Florida coastline. "We'll be docking here tomorrow morning before going onto the rest of the Caribbean islands." His finger went far north and stopped on Long Island. "This one of my favorite spots. It's called Montauk. I met a very nice girl there and I've had a soft for it ever since."_

_Artie watched as Poseidon drifted west, "But this place I think would be better for you. It's a summer camp for children like you. Children who don't have anywhere else to call home."_

_"You mean an orphanage." said Artie._

_Poseidon laughed lightly, "Not exactly. You can only stay for the summer if you want, But I've been told it's a very nice camp, so nice in fact some of kids there stay year round. I'm actually considering sending my own boy there, once he's old enough."_

_Artie didn't say anything. He just stared at the god of the seas, like he was considering to trust him. Percy understood, anyone would have a hard time trusting people after four years of being hunted like an animal. Tobias just perched on the railing, looking out to the ocean. Poseidon reeled in his line and pulled out small fish the size of his pinky. He frowned as he tossed it into a bucket of water at his feet and looked back down at Artie, "You don't have to decide now."_

_He took out a pen, drew on the map, and handed it to Artie, "I've marked it in case you decided to head that way or if you're in the neighborhood. I also marked some places you might want to checkout, I hear the everglades are very nice this time of year if you're into catching your lunch."_

_Artie perked up,"Really?"_

_Poseidon nodded, "I've never tried it myself, but I've heard alligator taste just like chicken, if it doesn't taste you first."_

_Artie stared at the map for a while, "Thanks, but who are y-"_

_But Poseidon was gone by the time he looked up. All that was left was a small bucket of water with the fish he had caught which Tobias snatched and ate in one bite. An announcement came over the loud speaker in Spanish. Percy must have guessed it was close enough for Artie to understand. He looked over the railing and saw the skyline of Miami, Artie had made to the United States._

* * *

Chiron froze the image again. "Though he did not kill the manticore he managed to delay it long enough board a ship heading to the United State. Now while he had run into other monsters during those four years, it would only be a matter of time before something finally killed him as they are much more abundant than in south America. Which why Poseidon provided the child with directions to Camp Half blood."

"But why?" asked Percy. "What did all the gods go out of their way to help him?"

"Yeah." agreed Thalia. "I'm saying I'm jealous or anything, but Percy has a point. I doubt anyone here had gotten so much attention from them. It's something out of the old stories when the gods just popped up when you needed them."

"Think about it." said Dionysus. "He was the first child.

Chiron took a deep breath to collect his words. "Lady Artemis had no children prior to Artie not even in ancient greece. So to the other gods, he was merely a source of entertainment. They were curious how the first child fo Artemis would fare against the world and what he would acomplish."

Bianca realized something. "He's alot stronger than he lets on. You guys looked just as surprised as we were just now.

Chiron looked uneasy, "The boy's ferocity has indeed grown. I'd hate to see what would happen if he does discover who captured Annabeth. It would make his first episode with the manticore look like two kittens fighitng over a ball of yarn."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked. "He didn't really fight Thorn, he just ran."

Chiron waved his hand over the image and it shifted again, "Watch and you will see."

* * *

**(SEVEN YEARS AGO - EVERGLADES, NORTHERN FLORIDA)**

_Artie was sitting near a campfire roasting something on a stick. Percy guessed he was in the everglades Poseidon mentioned. As his eyes adjusted Percy saw Artie take a bite. It wasn't something that Percy wouldn't considered eating unless he had no other choice. It he couldn't tell what kind, but Percy was sure Artie was eating a snake. Artie continued eating when the wind blew past him and froze. He sniffed the air and his eyes got wide. He threw on his bag and dumped dirt on the fire. He took off with Tobias following over head. Eventually Artie stopped by the top of a waterfall to drink and refill a canteen from his bag. When he he stood up, he sniffed the air. He turned just as something shot through the bushes and landed in his leg. He screamed as he fell. Then something emerged from the bushes. It was Thorn, and he was smiling._

_"Where's your escape route now child?" boasted Thorn in Portuguese translated by the iris message._

_Artie reached for his backpack, but Thorn fired another spine into his shoulder, "None of that now. You won't be able to take it with where you'll be going."_

_Like what his mother did when Thorn attacked her, Artie spat. He followed with a string of curses that the iris message didn't translate ._

_Thorn seemed amused, "You are a spirited one, I'll give you that but it ends now."_

_Suddenly a battle screech erupted from Tobias as he swooped down and slashed at Thorn's eyes with his talons. Thorn roared in pain as Tobias took off and turned for another dive. Thorn fired spines which most missed, except for one that clipped a few feathers from his wings. They must have been key feather for flying because Tobias plummeted to the ground. He slowed his descend enough to land, but he couldn't get back into the air again. Thorn advanced on him slowly. Tobias hopped and flapped his wings, desperate to get off the ground. This was the first time Percy had ever seen Tobias terrified for his life as he screeched, calling for help. He looked to Artie and cawed sadly almost as if saying good bye. Then something happened. Something that Artie had only done twice more since then._

_Like before his eyes flashed red. His finger nails grew into razor points and his canine teeth grew into fangs. His whole body shook with rage as he stood on all four like an animal despite the spines in his shoulder and leg. Then he pounced on Thorn's back leg. Thorn howled in agony as Artie sank his teeth deep and ripped a chunk out. Artie slid under Thorn just as his tail come down and turned his soft underbelly into confetti. Thorn stomped around trying crush him underfoot ,but he simply rolled out from under him. Thorn then tried responding in kind by snapping at Artie with his teeth. All he got was a chunk ripped out of his neck by Artie's teeth. He bit and slashed as he rolled under narrowly avoiding Thorn's paws and tail. At this point Percy was sure Artie would kill Thorn if it wasn't for the fact he knew Thorn was still alive. Thorn staggered around as turned to leave. Artie pounced once more, attempting to finally end the monster. Unfortunately Thorn's tail slammed into him sending him flying against a wall of solid rock. Percy was sure he heard the sound of bones cracking. Thorn took the opportunity to run. He wasn't sure how child could do all that with his bare hands, and wounded child at that, but he wasn't planning sticking around to find out. He left a large trail of blood in his wake which smoked in the moonlight along with the venom from his wounded tail which was bent at weird angles._

_Everyone watched as Artie struggled to his feet. Clearly his fumes were running fumes. He was bleeding and broken bones stuck up from under his skin, the result of being thrown into a wall of rock. He still had the venomous spines from Thorn's tail in his shoulder and leg. His breaths came in long heavy rasps, each one sounding pained as he walked to Tobias who was still trying to get in the air. He picked up his bird and put him on his uninjured shoulder. Then walked to his bag and began dragging across the floor as he staggered and stumbled into the forest. Percy was sure Artie wasn't thinking clearly because he was constantly turning and changing directions at every tree, the venom was starting to take it's toll. If it wasn't Tobias, Percy was sure Artie would have died. Still on his shoulder Tobias pulled at Artie's ear forcing him to turn his head. About a hundred yards ahead were several torches hanging and the faint sound of music mixed with the sounds of one great party. Artie tapped Tobias's beak, his way of saying good job, and became moving slowly towards the lights, using the trees to hold himself up. With each step his breathing became more ragged, as each step was bringing him closer and closer to death. He tripped over an upraised root and went down like ton of bricks. Tobias hopped off his master and began poking him with beak and pulling at his tattered tanktop and anything else to get Artie to stand up._

_Then a voice echoed through the trees. The voice of the goddess, Artemis._

_"Only a coward accepts death, my son" she said. "Now rise."_

_That seemed to revive Artie. He tried to stand but he couldn't. He may have the will but his body just didn't have the strength. Tobias cawed sadly as he tried pulling his master's shirt. Artemis spoke again, this time more demanding as if her son was defying her in someway._

_"You have never yielded before." she reminded. "You will not start now!"_

_Like when he was shot by his mother's assassin, Artie began to pulled himself along the floor, using only his arms as Tobias pulled trying to help. It was reasonable that everyone would think of Artie as a stubborn mule that often got him hurt, but now they new better. At the tender age of twelve, he showed that he had a will to live that rivaled the even the most die hard warrior. Artie clawed at the trunk of tree as he hauled himself up. He looked and saw was now only few feet from the camp. Each step he took, it looked like he was about to fall, but he did not. With each step, Artemis spoke encouraging him farther along with Tobias who hopped along the floor cawing at him._

_"That's right show me you have no limits." she demanded. "Show me only the gods themselves can stop you."_

_Artie walked through the bushes right into a wild party being thrown by the centaur members that formed the Florida Chapter of the Party Ponies. They all froze and stared at the zombie half blood dead on his feet. It was dead silent, even the musicians had stopped mid song. Then Artie collapsed for the third time nearly crushing Tobias._

_A centaur galloped to him and picked up the son of Artemis and his bird in his arms, "Someone find some nectar and get Euphrasia out of her tent NOW!"_

_Several centaurs galloped they rush to obey thier orders. The centaur looked down at Artie and Tobias as he trotted in place, agitated. "You're gonna be fine kid. Just stay with me. Help's on the way."_

_"Di immortales Cosmas." said a women's voice. "What in the name of the gods happened to the child?"_

_The centaur holding Artie, Cosmas apparently, turned. "Eurphrasia! He just collapsed in front of us."_

_Percy had seen her before when Chiron and the Florida chapter ambushed the Princess Andromeda. Eurphrasia wasn't much different from your run of the mill centaur. She was wore glasses that made her look much older than she was. Percy guessed her to be no more than twenty five though he wasn't sure if centaurs aged like satyrs or not. She was cute, in a quiet shy girl kind of way. She was wearing a shirt that said, Party Ponies Florida Chapter. And where her waist met the horse half, which was a golden stallion, was a belt that looked like carpenter's belt with lots of pouches and pockets for holding lots of different things._

_A young centaur ran up and handed Cosmas a small canteen, "Here's the nectar. It's not much but it's all we got."_

_The centaur began unscrewing the cap to the canteen, but Eurphrasia stopped him, "Stop. Those are manticore spines. You give him nectar and you'll kill him."_

_"Then pull out the spines." said Cosmas._

_She shook her head, "It's not that simple, pull them out wrong and they'll inject more venom."_

_"Alright doc. Do what you need to do."_

_She took the nectar from the centaur, "Find me some cloth and hot water. Make sure it's clean."_

_The centaur rushed to the nearest table and ripped the picnic table cloth before tearing it into strips. He called for another centaur to bring hot water who galloped into the forest with several large waterskins._

_Eurphrasia took Artie from Cosmas, "Have someone bring my supplies from my tent, all of them."_

_"Got it. What else?"_

_"Set up a tent with a table for my supplies and cot for the boy to rest. I won't be able to move him once I finish"_

_The scene swirled and shifted. Percy saw that he was seeing the inside of a large tent. Several candles lit the interior and several torches hung on the supports that formed the body of the tent. A table filled with lots of different shaped beakers and bottles was in the corner with a cot next to it. A figure was bent over the table,working on old mortar and pestle. The image began to clear and Eurphrasia came into view. She continued working the mortar adding several liquids from various bottles and several dried herbs she took from her belt. She scraped the paste from the mortar into a cloth and then poured a small amount of nectar into before gathering the cloth in her hands. She squeezed and a clear liquid dripped into a small shot glass. She poured half of it into a small bowl with a silvery paste and began mixing it into the paste._

_"Luckily for Artie, Eurphrasia is one of the finest healers in a thousand years. Few posses her knowledge of medicinal herbs and poisons and the ones that do, aren't the most friendly of creatures." explained Chiron._

_A thought came to Percy, "But he's immune to venom. When we fought Medusa two years ago, he was bitten by like twenty different snakes and the most he got was a slight headache."_

_"Yeah." said Grover. "And when he fought Thorn in Maine, it just weakened him a little."_

_"Manticore venom cannot kill." explained Zoe. "But if mixed with nectar, it causes so much agony the mind simply shut off to escape it._

_Chiron nodded, "Yes that it true, but keep in mind the rainforest and jungles of Brazil are home to many venomous snakes and serpents. I wouldn't be surprised if his immunity came from being bitten on countless occasions."_

_"That could be it." agreed Thalia, "But it might be more than that. Its one thing to be bitten by a rattlesnake, but a manticore who been trying to kill you for four years, that doesn't seem like something anyone can fight through sheer will."_

_Chiron scratched his bear as he thought about it, "You have a point. Artie has always had a strong constitution when it comes to the natural world, especially when it comes to venom. My guess is a high tolerance to venom is one of the abilities he possesses as the son of Artemis."_

_They turned thier attention back to the iris message. It seemed that Chiron had forgotten to freeze the image while they considered Artie's tolerance to poison and venom. Eurphrasia was just finshing the last bandage on Artie's shoulder when Cosmas enter with Tobias on his shoulder who fluttered down next to Artie. Eurphrasia began scrubbing her hands in warm water as Cosmas began moving bottles and vials aside on the table. He put Artie's silver back pack and began emptying it on the table. Percy could see the map of south America along with the map his father had given him. Cosmas then took out a small roll of bandages with a basic salve followed by a needle and thread for stitching up more serious wounds. Cosmas unwrapped two cloth bundles filled with nuts and berries. Percy guessed them to be an emergency food cache in case Artie didn't have the chance to hunt while Thorn was chasing him._

_Cosmas put a punctured canteen on the table, "We followed his trail and found this. It looks like you were right about the manticore, we found lots of those spines along with blood that was definitely not human near a waterfall close to here."_

_Eurphrasia looked uneasy. "I still don't understand what made it back off. Manticores aren't known for letting their prey escape, especially when they're unarmed."_

_"Oh he wasn't unarmed." corrected Cosmas as he took out another thing from Artie's bag. "We also found these."_

_Eurphrasia handled with great care and awe, "But these are made of"-_

_"Moonsilver, I know. Isn't exactly growing on trees. The only ones I know for sure who use them are the Hunters."_

_"He's not one of them."_

_"Clearly. My guess is he bought them on Olympus or found them."_

_Eurphrasia stared at the knives, "These look strange. They're not regular hunting knives like the Hunters use."_

_"They're called Bolo knives. I have a cousin who lives in Cuba who uses them. I sent an Iris message and he explained those are called Jungle Bolos because they're intended for combat rather than agricultural work."_

_"So he's from Cuba. He's been mumbling in his sleep and it seemed like Spanish."_

_"He might have spent some time in Cuba, but I don't think he's from there. Take a look at this._

_Cosmas handed Eurphrasia a photograph. Percy could see it was the same photo that Artie was staring on the cruise ship.T he photo of Artie with his brother and mother at the beach with the Christ The Redeemer statue in the background._

_"This was taken in Rio de Janerio, Brazil." realized Eurphrasia._

_Cosmas held up the map of south America. Apparently Artie had marked and traced the trail he made as Thorn chased him around the continent. "From what I can tell he's been all over south America but he started in Rio."_

_Eurphrasia set down the photo to study the map, "Alright he's from Rio, but how did he get here? Rio is three thousand miles south of the country."_

_Cosmas picked up the map Poseidon had given Artie and the brochure of the cruise ship, "I think he stowed away on this cruise ship that left Cancun, Mexico and jumped ship when it made port in Miami."_

_Eurphrasia studied the map, "Clearly he was heading to Camp Half Blood in New York. It's marked along with which roads to take to get there."_

_"So he's a half blood?"_

_Eurphrasia nodded, "I'll send word to Chiron. Maybe he can send someone to recover him."_

_"Speaking of recovering, how is he?"_

_"Oh he's fine." said Eurphrasia. "He'll be out for — "_

_"Out for what?" asked Cosmas as he looked up from the map._

_He saw why Eurphrasia had stopped mid sentence. Artie was on her back with his knife to her throat. He locked eyes with Cosmas as he tried to see how big of a threat he could be. It seemed Artie was still trying to process what exactly Cosmas and Eurphrasia were._

_"Quem é você?he asked._

_"Huh?" Cosmas clearly did not speak Portugese._

_"Quem é você? Artie repeated."Onde eu estou?_

_"We can't understand you." said Eurphrasia speaking slowly in hope he would respond to her tone rather than her words._

_Percy would have been in the same boat if it wasn't for subtitles that ran across the bottom of the iris message. Artie clearly didn't remember collapsing in front a dozen centaur or even what centaurs even were. To him, Artie had barely escaped one monster to be captured by more._

_Suddenly Artie began to shake his head as if he keeping himself from falling asleep. He held his head, "O que. . . o fez. . . você. . . o que eu fiz. . . sentir. . ."_

_With that Artie began to pass out. He dropped the knife and it clattered on the table. He would have fell if Eurphrasia did have the presence of mind to catch him. Clearly Artie was in no state to be moving, let alone fighting his way out of a centaur camp. Eurphrasia set Artie back in the cot and covered him with a blanket as he began to shiver, no doubt still fighting the venom in bloodstream. She placed a hand on his forehead than placed a wet cloth then covered him in more blankets. Tobias watched her work then perch on the bar right above his Artie's head looking concerned._

_"I don't think I'm gonna sleep tonight." said Cosmas. "Not after that."_

_Eurphrasia rubbed her neck, "That makes two of us. Is there anyone who speaks Portuguese? I'm not sure I'll be so lucky next time."_

_"Unless you count a few blue collar jokes, I'm afraid not." Cosmas joked._

_"I'm gonna need a few things from town. I'll make you a list." said Eurphrasia as she began jotting down a notepad._

_"You mean he's still not better? He seemed fine to me."_

_Eurphrasia shook her head "It's not for him. He'll be out for at least two days."_

_Cosmas scratched his head, "Then what do you need?"_

_Eurphrasia handed him the list. "I don't need all of it, but the one I circled take priority. Especially a portuguese to english dictionary."_

_Cosmas just stared at the list, "You don't seriously think you'll learn a whole language in two days do you?"_

_The image shifted slightly. Eurphrasia was standing at the same table, now stacked with several books. She held one in her hands as she glanced at Artie every so often, who was still covered in blankets with Tobias perched on the metal bar that arched slightly over Artie's head. She returned to the book in her hands. She had barely turned the page when Tobias cawed. She turned and saw Artie was stirring as he woke up._

_"Tobias? . . . o quê. . ." he managed to say. "I thought . . ."_

_Eurphrasia walked to him, book still in hand. "Thank the gods."_

_Artie did what he naturally did when startled, he sprang to his feet or at least tried to. He jerked maybe two inches before he fell back with a half yelp half groan of pain. Eurphrasia tried to help, but he swatted her away in terror which resulted in more cries of agony. She took the hint and stepped back as Artie laid back down and panted, exhausted by his exertion._

_"You shouldn't move." Eurphrasia warned. "You're too badly wounded."_

_"Huh?" grunted Artie._

_"Oh that's right. No english." Eurphrasia quickly began flipping the book in her hand, stopping to pronounce a word in Portuguese. "Let's see . . . não se mexa. . . demais. . . dói? "_

_Tobias cawed and squawked as if to confirm her words. Artie ignored the squawking and tried to sit up only to yelp and fall back on the cot. Tears welled up in his eyes as he gritted his teeth, trying not cry out. Eurphrasia adjusted the blankets and dabbed at Artie's forehead with a wet cloth. Artie coughed a little, groaning at the pain it caused him. He was too tired to protest as Eurphrasia placed a hand on his forehead. She noticed his labored breathing and how clammy his skin felt against her skin._

_"You still have a fever." She retrieved a bowl filled with what looked like ambrosia pudding from the table she was standing at. She held a spoon to his mouth. "Eat this, it'll help with the pain."_

_Artie kept his mouth shut as he watched Eurphrasia with a mixture of caution and fear._

_"You'll feel better, Você vai se sentir melhor." Eurphrasia sighed when Artie clamped his mouth tighter. She forced the spoon against his mouth. "Come on."_

_Artie turned his head defiantly. Then she resorted to what mothers normally did when infants refused to eat and tried to jam the spoon his mouth. Each time Artie turned his head every which way and kept his mouth as tightly closed without shattering his own teeth._

_"I. Am. Trying. To. Help. You." She growled with each thrust of the spoon, not caring she was smearing Artie's face with ambrosia. "You. Stupid. Kid."_

_Apparently Tobias grew tired of the scene and decided to end it. He hopped from his perch and landed on Artie's chest. Tobias's weight must have been much heavier than at first glance, because Artie screamed in pain. Eurphrasia took the opportunity and stuffed Artie's mouth with the pudding. Artie coughed and sputtered at the sudden invasion, but ended up swallowing most of it._

_"There." said Eurphrasia smugly._

_Artie stared daggers at Tobias and growled._

_"Stop that." Eurphrasia tapped Artie's nose with the spoon. "He's only trying to help you." She filled another spoon and held to Artie's lips, he still kept them closed. "I'll have him peck and poke if that's what it takes for you to open your mouth."_

_Tobias screeched angrily, again as if to translate._

_Artie opened his mouth slightly and accepted the food without protest, though he watched Eurphrasia like Tobias. Which is to say, like a hawk._

* * *

Chiron then slashed his hand through the rainbow, severing the connection. "She continued to treat Artie until he was ready to travel to New York. All the while teaching him some english as well as some medical knowledge. Artie even learned how to cure hides and leather during his month long stay with the Florida Chapter of the Party Ponies."

"Please tell me that was the last of it." pleaded Zoë.

Chiron nodded. "Yes. After a month with them, Artie eventaully reached Camp Half Blood. The rest is a story that I will let Artie tell, if he so chooses."

Percy wasn't sure if he should ask, but decied to anyway. "Chiron, why didn't he tell anyone? Even Apollonia didn't know until you showed us."

Thalia spoke. "Would you have treated him any differently? Knowing then what you know now?"

Percy didn't answer.

"He didn't want anyone's pity." whispered Apollonia. "Especially mine."

"I also showed you for another reason." said Chiron. "Though he refused to explain when he first came to me, I knew. Artie believes himself to be cursed."

"How so?" asked Zoë.

"Everytime he forms a bond with a person, he eventully loses that person." Chiron explained. "He loved his mother and father and they died. He loved his mother and brother in Rio and lost them as well. He became attached to Luke as brother but lost him once he was claimed. Annabeth was one his closest friends and she is lost. And I'm sure since his mishap at Circe's Isle, he belives he was slowly losing Apollonia."

"What about me?" asked Percy.

Chiron shook his head, "This what Artie belives. Unfortunate things have happened to him, but they do for all demigods. I'm quite certain Artie belives that sooner or later, he will lose you too Percy."

Thalia asked, "What do you want us to do?"

"If by some good fortune, you and Artie cross paths along your quest." Chiron answered. "Try to aid him where you can. If he loses Annabeth or even one more person he holds dear, I fear he will truly and completly give in to this belief."


	11. If Only Artie Had Fava Beans

Percy did not remember falling asleep when he returned to his cabin, but he remembered the dream.

* * *

_He was back in the barren cave, the ceiling low and heavy over him. Annabeth was kneeling under the weight of a dark mass that looked like a pile of boulders. She was too tired to cry out as her legs trembled under her. Percy was sure that any second her strength would give out and the giant mass would topple on her._

_"How is our mortal guest?" asked a male voice. The voice was deep like a bass guitar with enough force to make the ground tremble from the sound._

_Luke emerged from the shadows and knelt by Annabeth. He looked back at the unseen man. "She's fading. We must hurry."_

_"That shouldn't be a problem." The deep voice chuckled as a hand push someone forward into Percy's view. "You heard the boy. Decide!"_

_It was Artemis bound with celestial bronze chains and manacles, her silvery dress torn and tattered. Her face and arms were cut in several places as they bled golden ichor, the blood of the immortal beings. She looked at Annabeth and her expression went from concern to outrage. "How dare you torture a maiden like this?"_

_"She will die soon." said Luke. "You can save her."_

_Artemis held out her wrist, chains clinking together like a pocket of coins. "Free my hands!"_

_Luke brought out Backbiter and, with one quick swing, severed the chain that bound the goddess. She ran to Annabeth and took the burden from her. Annabeth collapsed to the floor and shivered, but not from the cold floor. Artemis staggered, trying to support the weight of the black rocks. The unseen man laughed. Artemis had done exactly what he had planned without a single moment of hesitation._

_"You surprised me." said Artemis as she struggled under her burden. "It will not happen again."_

_"Indeed it will not!", said the man. "Now you're out of the way for good! I knew you could not resist helping a maiden. It is your specialty after all, my dear."_

_Artemis groaned. "You know nothing of mercy, you swine."_

_"On that we can agree." said the man. "Luke, you may kill the girl now."_

_"NO!" shouted Artemis._

_Luke hesitated, "She may still be useful. For further bait."_

_"Bah! Do you truly believe that?"_

_"Don't you remember my lord? A quest was issued for her to be rescue as well."_

_"Ah yes. It appears we were both incorrect, Artemis. This will surprise you." the man chuckled amusingly. "Your son is on his way here as well."_

_Artemis looked shocked. "Artie?"_

_"Yes, but not for you." the man pointed to Annabeth. "He aims to save this pathetic mortal and single-handed at that."_

_"If one hair is harmed on his head," Artemis snarled. "You'll beg for Tartarus before I'm through with you."_

_"Its quite amusing." The man chuckled again. "According to our spies, he is more concerned for this girl than you, his mother. After the quest to rescue you was issued, one that will fail, he asked for this girl''s well being. Now why would he do that?"_

_Artemis tried not to look hurt at that. "I am immortal and she is not. It is simple why he would be more concerned with her than me."_

_"Or could it be that you have been less than the perfect mother to him." the man said smugly. "I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks so himself. The gods are blind to see how ignoring their children will be their downfall." He looked to Luke. "Very well, have the draceanae guard her. Assuming she does not die from her injuries, you may keep her alive until th solstice. After that, if our sacrifice goes as planned, her life will be meaningless."_

_Luke gathered Annabeth in his arms and began carrying her away._

_"You will never find the monster you seek." Artemis said. "You will fail."_

_"How little you know, my little goddess." said the man in the shadows. "Even now, your darling attendants begin thier quest to save you. As does your son to save the girl. They will play directly into my hands. Now you'll excuse me, we have a long journey to make. We must make sure that their quest is . . . challenging."_

_"You underestimate my Hunters and overestimate your minions." said Artemis. "You sent a manticore to kill my son and after eight years, he still cannot accomplish that."_

_"You have a point." The man seemed to consider it. "As for your son, I might let him live. From I can gather he has quite the axe to grind and is aching to use it. All he requires is a little fatherly guidance."_

_The man exited with Luke, his laugh echoing so loudly the ceiling seemed to be on the verge of collapsing._

_Everything faded to black, only to be filled with light again._

_Percy saw he was looking at a crowded street in front of a deli. People walked back forth wearing thick coats and hats to ward off the stinging cold and carried Christmas presents piled high in their arms. From what he could gathered, Percy realized he was in New Jersey just outside of New York City. A man emerged from the deli, clad in long trench coat and hat, with coffee in one hand and speaking on a cellphone in the other._

_It was Thorn and it looked like he was upset._

_"ALIVE!" he shouted into the phone. "You want the boy alive?" A pause as the person on the other side spoke. "I don't care if he might be useful. I spent fours tracking that little runt all throughout South America on your orders, General. And when he finally leaves the safety of that blasted camp, you want him alive?" Another pause as made rude gestures at the phone. "Very well, General. I will be in D.C as soon as I can." Another pause and Thorn rolled his eyes. "No, I am not being followed."_

_Thorn hung up the phone as a man in black military clothes emerged from a van and spoke to Thorn. "Sir, orders from the General?"_

_"Unfortunately," Thorn sneered tossed the coffee to the floor in frustration. "We are to report to Washington, D.C."_

_Without a word Thorn and the man piled into a van that was parked on the curb and drove off. Percy looked up and saw the strangest thing he had seen a long time, even in New York. Tobias was perched on the awning that hung over the entrance of the deli. Percy's view followed Tobias as he fluttered to the roof of the adjacent building opposite the deli. Standing on the edge of roof as leaned forward on one knee, overlooking the street thirty feet below him, was Artie. He was still garbed in his armor and cloak, the white exterior making him nearly invisible with the grayish white clouds behind him in the sky._

_Tobias fluttered to his shoulder and chirped, no doubt reporting what Thorn had said. "Washington, D.C?" Tobias nodded and Artie pulled a map from a pouch on his belt and opened it. "I could beat him there in my sleep with my bike, but if this General might tell him to go somewhere else . . . " Tobias chirped and Artie shook his head. "Yes, I could track him down, but that'll take time. Time that Annabeth might not have. No, I'll follow him. He's too confident to expect that."_

_Tobias took off from Artie's shoulder as Artie slid down the fire escape ladder. His motorcycle was running in the alley between the buildings. Artie threw his leg over the seat, adjusted the cloak so the wind would not blow it off, and sped down the street. Percy could see he made sure not follow Thorn too closely to arouse suspicion, but never let the van out of his sight._

* * *

Percy woke with a start.

Then he heard someone banging on his door. He grabbed Riptide and inched towards the door. "Hello?"

THUMP THUMP

Percy threw the door open and found him face to face with a black pegasus, who clopped away from the uncapped sword blade. Like all equestrian animals, Percy heard its voice in his head.

_Whoa, boss. _said the pegasus. _I don't want to be a horse-kebob_.

"Blackjack?" Percy was relieved, but a little irritated. "Its the middle of the night."

_Ain't either, boss. Its five in the morning. _Blackjack huffed. _What are ya still sleeping for?"_

"How many time do I have to tell you? Stop calling me boss."

_Whatever you say, boss. You're the man. You're my number one._

"You're supposed to stay in the stables."

_Meh, the stables. Do you see Chiron staying in the stables?_

"Well . . . no."

_Exactly. Listen, we got another little sea friend that needs your help._

"Again?"

_Yeah, I told the hippocampi I'd come get you._

Percy wasn't in the mood. Lately, whenever he went to the beach, the hippocampi would ask him to come help with their problems. And they had a lot of problems. Beached whales, porpoises caught in fishing nets, mermaids with hangnails — they would call on Percy to come underwater and help them.

"Alright. I'm coming."

_You're the best, boss._

"And don't call me boss!"

* * *

After nearly being trampled by some hippocampi, rescuing something that at best could be called a sea cow, and promising Nico to watch over his sister, Percy and Blackjack set out toward New York City following a van that held one hero, two hunters, and one satyr. It was a bit of problem since they had to fly so high that ice collected in Percy's hair, but it was either that or cause a massive and deadly pile up on the Long Island Expressway. Traffic was bad with the holidays being around the corner, so it was mid morning when the van finally entered the city. Percy had Blackjack land on the Chrysler building since he guessed the van would pull into the bus station, but it didn't.

"Where is Argus taking them?" asked Percy.

_Oh Argus isn't driving boss. _said Blackjack_. The girl is._

"Which girl?"

_The Hunter girl. The one with the silver crown thing in her hair._

"Zoë?"

_ That's the one. Hey look, there's a donutshop. Can we get something to go?_

Percy tried explaining that a horse ordering doughnut would give just every cop in the place a heart attack, but didn't seem to understand. Speaking of cops, Percy wondered how Zoë could drive without being pulled over every block. She may be older than world war II veterans, but she didn't look sixteen. Percy wasn't even sure if she even had a driver's license and if she did, he wondered what her birth date would be. That was when he saw the van snaking its way to the Lincoln Tunnel.

"Well," he said. "Let's go after them."

They were about to leap off when Blackjack whinnied in alarm and nearly threw Percy. He felt something curling around his ankle like a snake. He reached for his sword when he saw it wasn't a snake, but vines. Grape vines to be exact and they were wrapping around Blackjack's leg and around Percy's ankles, stopping them from moving even the slightest inch.

"Going somewhere?" Mr. D asked. He was leaning against the building with his feet levitating in the air. His leopard skin warm up suit and black hair flapping in the wind.

_God alert._ yelled Blackjack. _Its the wine dude._

Mr. D sighed in exasperation. "The next person, or horse, that calls me the wine dude will end up in a bottle of Merlot."

"Mr.D!" said Percy. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? You thought, perhaps, that the immortal, all powerful director of camp would not notice you leaving without permission?"

"Well . . . maybe."

"I should throw you off this building, minus the flying horse, and see how heroic you sound on the way down."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Percy demanded from the god. "What did I ever do to you?"

Purple flames flickered in his eyes. "You're a hero, boy. I need no other reason."

"I have to go on this quest. I need to help my friends. That's something you wouldn't understand."

_Uh, Boss? _said Blackjack. _Seeing as how we're wrapped in vines nine hundred feet off the ground, you might wanna talk nice._

Mr.D waved his hand dismissively. "Go. Follow your silly friends."

The vines uncoiled around Percy and Blackjack and disappeared. Percy blinked in disbelief. "You're . . . you're letting me go? Just like that?"

"The prophecy says at least two will die. Perhaps I'll be lucky and one of them will be you. But mark my words Son of Poseidon, live or die, you will prove no better than any other hero."

With that, Dionysus snapped his fingers and disappeared. All that was left was the faint scent of grapes and grape vines that was quickly swept away in the wind. Percy had an uneasy feeling about being let go. If Dionysus had not dragged him back to camp, then there was a good chance that he might actually die. He stuffed the thought back into his skull and looked for the van.

"Come on, Blackjack." he said trying to sound upbeat. "I'll buy you donuts in Jersey."

* * *

Artie was having that uneasy feeling that something was following him. It wasn't out of the question, he was the only one on a motorcycle as far as he could see on the highway. But since Thorn had not changed directions and no one had tried to ram him from behind, Artie figured it was just his nerves and continued following the black van from a distance. After a few minutes, Artie internal radar continued to buzz like a bee in his ear. Perhaps it wasn't just blind luck that he had caught Thorn's scent when he drove off the Verazano bridge and drove across the water in New Jersey. Artie tried to reassure himself he wasn't walking into a trap. Had it been, Thorn wouldn't wait so long and drive to D.C without either capturing or killing him. He also severely doubted it was just his nerves. He had learned to trust his instincts. He was being followed, but he didn't know by whom. He turned his gaze to the sky, not exactly the safest thing to do while driving sixty miles and hour on a motorcycle, and saw what looked like a black pegasus. He glanced back the road for a moment, so not run into a car at sixty miles an hour without a helmet, and saw it was gone. He shook his head and continued following the black van. It was roughly an hour later that Thorn and his entourage parked. Artie dismounted, pressed a button on the motorcycle's dashboard, and slipped the tiny metal figurine into one the various pouches and pockets that decorated his belt. He bent down behind a car as Thorn and three men exited the car and gazed around. Though most of the car hid him from sight, he made it looked like he was bending down to tie his boot. He knew from their scent that the men were mortal, therefore unable to see Artie as he was in his armor and white cloak. He figured they saw kid wearing a white hoodie tying his shoe and wouldn't give him a second thought.

And that was exactly what happened because they all turned to Thorn who ordered them to go on ahead and he would meet them there. As Thorn watched his men, Artie walked to a group of teenagers huddled around a coffee vendor and his cart. They didn't pay him any mind as he laid down some money and bought a coffee. While it wasn't his plan to warm up, his cloak had kept him warm like Artemis had said, the teenagers provided the perfect camouflage as Thorn strode past them. Unless he had inspected the group closely, Thorn didn't see Artie, armed to the teeth, casually sipping coffee as he stalked him in plain sight. He continued to follow Thorn, though it was quite challenging. Not only could Thorn see through the Mist, but Artie had to make sure he stayed downwind. If Thorn caught even the faintest hint that Artie was in Maryland, he knew it wasn't to visit the nation's capitol and buy a replica of the Declaration of Independence. Artie continued following Thorn as best he could, but cursed under his breath when Thorn entered a building with guard flanked at the entrance.

Artie made his way around the building, trying to look as casual as he could. He saw there were guard stationed at every entrance. He sat on a bench that faced the building and planned out his next move. The guard were mortal, but garbed in the same black military uniforms that the men Thorn's van had worn. That meant while he could easily incapacitate any of the two guards at any random entrance, he might as well announce his presence to whomever was inside. He had to slip in undetected and unseen. He could try simply walking in and bluffing his way through, but Thorn had flashed something to identify himself. He could steal one, but he had no way of knowing who carried one and he doubted he could pickpocket someone without being discovered. It was times like this he wished he could have had a companion or two with him. Travis or Connor Stoll could accomplish something like that in their sleep. So a ground entrance was out of the question.

Artie stood up and leaned against a tree. "Check out the roof. See if there's a way inside."

Artie watched as Tobias took off and flew over the building. One might question how a red tailed hawk had gotten this far north, but anyone had looked up and saw Tobias, they would have seen a small bird like speck in the sky and dismiss him as a sparrow or something equally small. Tobias returned and perched on a branch overhead and reported with a combinations of quiet squawks and chirps.

"A maintenance entrance with no guards?" Artie asked. "No one at all?" Tobias chirped. "I guess you're right. How could anyone sneak up there?"

That was when Tobias told him about a blind spot in the defenses.

He followed Tobias to the north side of the building. Artie had noticed the building had no entrance on the north side, but there were guards posted nonetheless. But there was a tree that had been nearly ripped up from the roots from a recent storm. It leaned towards the building and all Artie had to was scale the tree and then climb the rest of the way up. Artie plucked a small tube, roughly the size of and width of his thumb, from his belt. Using his quiver, Artie had drawn dozen of arrows and unscrewed the head from the shaft. The arrow heads would work exactly like the would if they had remained attached to the shafts. Artie was reminded of batman's utility belt since he had plenty of little gadgets sitting in the pouches on his belt. He had reasoned if he had lost his quiver and was forced to use his Kopis, then he could still the gadgets and tools from the arrowheads. Some could obscure, and some would distract, and others could even kill. Of course the lethal ones would only work on monsters and pass through the mortal guards unmolested. Artie handed the tube to Tobias who flew overhead the group of guard that were posted on the north side and dropped the tube at their feet. They all gazed down as the tube began to beep. Artie used that opportunity to reach the tree and hide in its foliage.

"What the . . ." said one of the guards

Then the tube exploded and the guards were showered with blood. Artie knew from the smell it was pig's blood, but the guards didn't and screamed like cheerleaders in a cheap slasher flick. Artie leaped out of the tree and began climbing the remaining twenty feet to the roof as the guard began recovering.

One of the guard opened his shirt. "I'm not dead. It ain't my blood."

The other opened his shirt. "I'm fine too, its not mine either."

"Then who's is it?"

"Beats me."

"Probably some young punk with a water balloon. Mixed some water and red dye with flour to make it look like blood."

They wiped their faces and looked around to look for the pranksters that had pulled one over them. Artie watched them gaze around, but never once glanced upward. He walked to the roof entrance and found it was locked. Though he had seen this done countess time in films, he doubted it would work here. Still, he had nothing to lose. He knocked on the door loudly and stepped to the side.

A second later the door flew open as guard came from inside and brandished a sidearm. "Freeze!"

Artie suppressed a laugh and slipped inside as the door swung close behind the guard and quietly walked down the steps. As he listened for the sound of approaching footsteps, Artie unbuckled the silver fibula from under his neck and threw the cloak off and around before rebuckling the fibula under his neck. Now he wore the cloak black half on the outside. Artie hid a smile at the fact he looked like Sith lord from Star Wars the way the hood hid his face from view and the cloak nearly dragged on the floor as it hid the rest of his body.

"Hey, you there!" called a voice. "Stop right there!"

Artie froze and figured it was time for another life or death test of his acting skills. He had done this before when he was accidentally mistaken for a runaway demigod aboard the Princess Andromeda. Using some cheap make up and red hair dye, Artie had passed himself along as an Irish demigod, Arnold Benedict. He was sure after that Luke would have had warned his soldiers not to fall for that same trick. But a thought came to him. Luke was no child of Athena and probably only on the look out for disguised demigods, not monsters. With that in mind, Artie quickly removed his sunglasses and extended his claws. The hood would hide his face from view as glowing silver eyes would seem to float in shadow. Like the accent and idioms had worked to sell Arnold Benedict, Artie figured good old Hannibal Lector would be best. Monster tended to act and put on heirs that they were highly civilized and sophisticated, at least the really powerful ones.

A girl, thirteen by the looks of her and clad in full Greek armor, stepped in front of Artie. "What were you doing on the roof?"

"I wasn't aware I had to report in to a little girl." Artie faked an amused chuckle. "Very well, I was simply grabbing a quick _snack_." He made snack sound as sinister as he could.

The girl shuddered, but recovered. "A snack?"

"Well, more a meal." Artie kissed fingers as one would do to indicate one just had the most exquisite meal. "It has been ages since I had one as . . . _delectable_ as him."

The girl laid her hand on her sword, but gulped. "H-h-him?"

Artie nodded slowly. "Best thing for him, really." Artie examined a claw curiously."From what he told me, his therapy was going nowhere. At least think that was he said. It is quite a challenge when one's lungs begin to fill with blood." Artie motioned to the girl. "And who are you, my dear? Why is such a _sweet_ girl like you here?"

The girl looked she was debating whether to attack or run. "S-s-s-s-sweet?"

Artie smacked his lip loudly. "It is a shame. I have the most _appetizing_ recipe, but where can I find fresh fava beans and the perfect chianti this close to dinner?"

"W-w-w-what are you?"

Artie inclined his head politely, "I do wish we could chat longer, but . . . I'm having an old friend for dinner. Bye."

Artie began walking away, but stopped after a few steps and turned around. "A manticore entered here not too long ago. Be a dear and tell me where he is?"

"H-h-h-he's probably here to report to the G-g-general." said the terrified demigod. "He s-s-s-should be in main chamber. The one with all the dinosaurs bones."

"Dinosaurs?" Artie sighed as he thought of a fond memory. "Ahh, now those were fun. Nothing like a quick fight to get the appetite flowing." Artie inclined his head. "Thank you, I hope I see you again. Perhaps for dinner?"

The girl looked like she was about to faint or scream. "I . . . um . . . I don't think . . ."

"Yes, you're quite right." Artie said menacingly smooth. "People will say we're in love." Artie looked her up and down. "But are you ever my taste. So to speak." Artie chuckled sinisterly and rounded the corner, leaving the girl where she stood.

As he walked to the main chamber, Artie couldn't help think to himself. _Hopkins, eat your heart out._


	12. Artie Gets Appolonia's Christmas Present

Artie reached the main chamber as soon as he heard a deep voice say " — sent a playmate to keep them occupied."

Two dracenae turn to see who approached. Artie guessed that the room was too far filled to the brim with the scent of monsters for them to smell his demigod scent. Artie waved them off with a clawed a hand and slight hiss. Combined with glowing eyes and the lack of screaming, the dracenae turned their attention back to floor below them. Artie could see Thorn was kneeling on the floor. He was looking up at a man concealed by shadow as he sat on what looked like a modern day throne on the second level, the same level Artie was standing on. Artie guessed from the kneeling, Thorn took orders from this man which made this General the girl had mentioned. Next to him, stood Luke. Luke looked pale and his blonde hair looked almost gray as if he had aged considerably in the past few months. He still had that angry look in his eye on his face as well as his scar which looked red as if it had been recently reopened.

A voice, Luke's Artie recognized, began to protest. "But — "

"Yes, boy," snarled Thorn. Artie's would sooner forget how to walk than forget him. "You are far too fragile to risk. Let me finish them off!"

"No." said the General as he rose to full height and the shadows disappeared around him.

He looked like a living statue , with dark slicked back hair, eyes like stone, light brown skin, and a muscular build. He was tall, with a brutal face, huge shoulders, and hands that looked like they could crush diamonds with minimal effort. He wore a brown silk business suit like any executive would, but Artie had a feeling this guy would be, as Sin City had said, right at home on some ancient battlefield swinging an axe into somebody's face.

"Or in a Roman arena," Artie quoted aloud, forgetting where he was. "Taking his sword to other gladiators like him."

The dracenae were too far enthralled with scene playing out in front of them too ask what this strange creature meant. No doubt remembering a similar scene from another time period, they guessed, ancient Rome by the sound of it.

"You've failed me already, Thorn." said the General.

"But General — "

"No excuses!"

Artie picked something up about the General. Thorn may be wearing a military uniform, but the General was the real deal. The General was, without the slightest doubt, a natural born commander and he knew it.

"I should throw you in the pit of Tartarus for your incompetence." the General said. "I gave you a simple mission eight years ago and you failed. I provided you with an opportunity to redeem yourself and it took you four years with nothing to show for it. Then, against my better judgement, I send you to capture a child of the elder gods and you bring back a scrawny child of Athena!"

Artie was confused. _Eight years ago? He couldn't mean . . . No, that's impossible._

"You promised me revenge." Thorn protested. "A command of my own."

"I am Lord Kronos's senior commander." said the General. "And I will choose lieutenants that who get me results! Not ones who retreat when their target if half dead! Its is only because of Luke that we could salvage our plan at all. Now get out of my sight, Thorn, until I find some menial task for you to fail."

Artie could have sworn that Thorn was about a half second from roaring indignantly and begin shooting spine, but to his surprise Thorn simply bowed curtly and walked out, Artie was tempted to follow, but the General had intrigued him. Artie was here for Annabeth. Once she was out of harm's way, Artie would be free to accomplish the rest of prophecy, namely the _vengeance taken _bit. He decided to stay and listen in case the General let something slip. Plus, someone might notice him try to slip out and demand why he was leaving without being dismissed.

"Now, my boy." The General turned to Luke. "We must isolate the half blood Thalia. The monster we seek will then come to her."

"The hunters will be difficult to dispose of." said Luke.

_Try making them watch the Twilight movies_, Artie though ruefully, _From Appolonia told me, even the most die hard feminist will melt at the sight of Taylor Lautner shirtless._

Luke continued. "Zoë Nightshade — "

"Don't speak that name!" snapped the General.

Luke swallowed, "S-sorry, General. I just — "

He silenced Luke with a wave of his hand. "Let me show you, my boy, how we will bring the Hunters down." He pointed to a guard on ground level. "Do you have the teeth?"

The guard stumbled forward nearly dropping a ceramic pot in his hands. "Yes, General.

"Plant them!" he ordered.

That was when Artie first noticed the circle of dirt in the center of the room. He guessed it normally held some sort of exhibit, dinosaur bones most likely. Artie watched curiously as the guard took out pristine white teeth and pushed them into the dirt. He smoothed over the dirt as the General smiled coldly and the rest watched with bated breath. Artie squinted and wondered why was the guard planting tiger teeth, at least he guessed them to belong to a tiger. Artie may have had plenty of experience with the large cats of the world, but there were some subtleties that escaped him.

The guard stepped back from the dirt and wiped his hands. "Ready General."

"Excellent! Water them, and we let them smell their prey."

The guard then picked up a baby blue tin watering can with daises painted on it. Artie considered that to be strange, but then again it must be quite difficult to find one that screamed macho or evil. The guard poured a thick red liquid over the buried teeth and scent nearly made Artie gag. Even on the opposite side of the room and above ground level Artie knew it was clearly blood, and not animal blood.

"Soon," the General said. "I will show you, Luke, soldiers that will make the army from your little boat look insignificant."

Luke clenched his fist. "I've spent a year training my forces! When the Princess Andromeda reached the mountain, they will be the best — "

"Ha!" laughed the General. "I do not deny your troops will make a fine honor guard for Lord Kronos. And you, of course, will have a role to play —"

Artie could have sworn Luke became even paler and wondered what the General meant.

"— but under my leadership, the forces of Lord Kronos will increase a hundredfold. We will be unstoppable. Behold! My ultimate killing machines!"

Artie's hand dropped to his side, should he need his bow. The soil erupted as creatures struggled from under the dirt. Where each tooth had been buried emerged small furry creature and the first one said:

"Mew?"

Artie snickered, he just couldn't help himself, but quickly covered it with a sneeze when the dracenae looked back at him, "My apologizes, allergies."

It was a kitten. A tiger cub to be exact Artie judged by their scent, though they could be mistaken for common kittens. It looked like a little orange tabby with striped on the side like a tiger. Before long there were a dozen of them, all them rolling around and playing in the dirt. Had this been a different situation, Artie would have asked if he could have one to take home to Appolonia, she had always wanted a cat. He could almost hear her happily shriek when she found the adorable little creature under the Christmas tree with a little pink bow around its neck on Christmas morning.

The General roared. "What is this! Cute cuddly kittens! Where did you get those teeth!"

The guard that brought the teeth cowered in fear. "From the exhibit, sir. Just like you said."

"The tyrannosaurus exhibit?"

"No, sir. I thought you said — "

"Never mind." The General pointed to the kittens. "Gather up those . . . those infernal fuzzy little beasts and take them outside. And never let me see your face again." The guard did as he was ordered and the General motioned to another guard. "You! Get me the right teeth. NOW!"

The new guard rush to complete his order.

"Imbeciles." muttered the General.

"They're unreliable." said Luke. "That's why I don't use mortals."

"They're weak minded, easily bought, and violent." the General said. "I love them."

Artie was sure that nothing else would happen that might lead him to Annabeth when the guard hustled back into the room, his arms with white pointy teeth. Artie was sure this time the teeth did not belong to any large cat in the world.

"Excellent!" The General climbed over the balcony and jumped down twenty feet. When he landed the marble floor under him crack. He stood wincing. "Curse my stiff neck."

"Another hot pad, sir?" asked the guard. "More Tylenol?"

"The pain will pass." The General brushed off his suit and took the teeth from the guard. "I will do this myself." He held up one of the teeth and smiled. "Dinosaur teeth — Ha! Those foolish mortals don't even know when they have dragon teeth in their possession. And not just any dragon teeth. These belonged to Sybaris herself! These will do nicely."

Artie had the feeling he should try and stop him, but his curisoty won out. He reasoned that if he interfered he could make things worse and be killed for his trouble. From what he heard, whatever rose from the dirt this time would be used against Zoë's quest to save Artemis and not him. He might have been tempted to act, for Thalia and Grover's sake, but forced himself to focus on Annabeth's safety. As much he wouldn't admit aloud, Zoë and Thalia were more than capable warriors, they were the best he knew. All this went through his mind as the General planted the teeth, twelve in all, and watered them with blood.

A single skeletal hand shot through the dirt and all Artie think was, _George Romero would kill to see this_

The General looked the dracenae in front of Artie and he was glad he was out of his line of sight. "Quickly, do you have the scent?"

"Yesss, my lord." the one on the left held up a silver scarf which Artie knew by sight, and smell, that it belonged to one of the Hunters.

"Excellent." said the General. "Once my warriors catch a scent, they will pursue its owner relentlessly. Nothing can stop them, no weapon known to half blood or Hunter. They will they tear the Hunters and their allies to shreds."

Artie was second away from drawing an arrow that would have brought down the building, when the skeleton erupted from the soil. They looked like a prop that would have been found in any biology class in any school in America. Then they began to grow have transparent gray skin and yellow eyes. Clothes also began appear on them and they wore gray muscle shirts, camo pants, and combat boots. One them seemed to stare off the left like it was giving a death stare to an empty pocket of space and Artie wondered if he wasn't the only one that had managed to sneak in. Artie watched the scarf fluttered down to the General. As soon as he gave to the warriors, they would hunt down Zoë and the others until they were dead. Artie reached for his Kopis. He had to take out the dracenae to get a clear shot. No sooner than the thought crossed his mind, something knocked the warriors to the floor and snatched the scarf out of the air.

"What is this?" bellowed the General.

Artie saw a puff of dirt at the feet of a skeletal warrior which hissed.

"An intruder." growled the General. "One cloaked in darkness. Seal the doors!"

"Its Percy Jackson!" Luke yelled. "It has to be!"

_Percy, seu idiota_, Artie thought to himself. _You're supposed to be back at camp. _Artie drew his Kopis and killed the two dracenae in the blink of an eye. "Well, were you expecting maybe Warren Batey?"

Everyone looked up as he threw back his hood and revealed his face. Artie hoped Percy, or whomever it was, used the distraction to escape. Artie opened his bow and drew an arrow, holding the string back tight.

"Artie?" Luke looked more annoyed than surprised, how many times could this one demigod continue to infiltrate his bases again and again?

"Well, it ain't the girl scouts selling cookies." Artie said, settling on a line from Holes.

The General growled. "Are you trying to be funny, or do you think I'm stupid?"

Artie winked at another Holes set up, "I wasn't trying to be funny."

Surprisingly, the General smiled. "What are planning little demigod? You're surrounded with nowhere to go."

The demigods and monsters seemed to realize this for the first time and began to advance, weapons gleaming wickedly in their hands. Artie had indeed planned for this, thanks to Percy, and fired the arrow at the General. To everyone surprised Artie turned and raised cloak. They all realized what was about to happen a moment too late and Artie was the last thing they saw before they saw a flash of the brightest white light ever to been seen without seeing a god's true form. Artie waited a couple of seconds before he opened his eye and looked around. Everyone was on their knees or rolling on the floor as they roaring in pain as they clutched their eyes. Even the General seemed to be stumbling around as he roared and screamed obscenities in ancient Greek. Artie heard his quiver hiss behind him and he knew he would have to wait a until morning to use another arrow, even a plain one. He hopped over the railing and slid down a pillar. In the blink of an eye he reached the door and slammed it behind him. The lobby was empty as he spotted an emergency fire axe. He broke open the glass and slid the axe through the door handles. It wouldn't hold anything big back, but it might buy him a second or two he needed to disappear.

Artie burst through the front door and found a set of faint footprints and the scent of salty sea air. So it had been Percy, no doubt using Annabeth's invisibility cap, and he was on his way to warn Thalia and the others. Artie jogged as he switched his gaze between his rear and Percy's footprint. He was too busy making sure he wasn't being pursued that he tripped over a cardboard box . He looked at his feet and saw there was writing on the side of it. With his dyslexia and the bad handwriting, he thought it read, _Fere ketniss lkooing fro a hmoe_, he shook his head and tried to read it again.

"Free kittens." he said aloud. "Looking for a home."

"Aren't we all?" said a rough voice.

Artie turned and found himself face to boot with a homeless man. He had a dirty grey beard and matching hair. His jeans were so worn they almost were as white as Artie's cloak. His coat was ripped with so much stuffing falling out, Artie wondered how it kept the man warm. He also saw he wore dirty wool socks for gloves and a similar sock on his feet through the holes in his boots. The man gave him a warm, but toothless, grin.

"A man came out a little while ago." said the homeless man. "Poured a whole bag of kittens into a box and just left them."

Artie allowed the man to help him up. "Kittens?"

The man nodded. "Poor little things. No home and so close to Christmas. A lot them got taken by some nice looking folks."

Artie felt something sinks its teeth into boot and looked down. "Not all of them." He picked up the tiny feline by the scruff of its neck. "I guess no one wanted him."

The man looked sad. "Poor little guy. Left all alone with no one to take care of him and Christmas close. You should take him home."

Artie glanced at kitten as it gave him big wide eyes and batted at his nose playfully, "Mew?"

Artie rolled his eyes and opened a large pouch on his belt. "You're lucky you're cute." He gently placed the kitten the pouch and closed the top over its little furry head. "Try not to move around too much."

"Mew!" the kitten protested.

Artie ignored the adorable stowaway and took off in a sprint, following Percy's footprints, to the Air and Space Museum.

As he ran, Artie heard the homeless man, "Appolonia will love it. Don't forget the pink ribbon."

Artie looked back and the man was gone. _That could have been . . . No, why would he be here?_

* * *

Percy tore across the Mall, not daring to look behind him. He burst through the Air and Space museum and took off his invisibility cap as cleared the admission area. The main part of the museum was a humungous spacious room with planes and rockets hanging from the ceiling. There were three levels of balconies curving along the wall so visitors could see them at different heights and angles. The room was not crowded with only a few families a couple of tour groups of children, no doubt on some sort of school holiday trip Percy assumed. He fought the urge to yell at them to leave. The last thing he needed was to be ejected before he could find Thalia, Grover, and the Hunters and warn them about the skeletal warriors. Something told him that once they arrived, they would not settle for an audio tour. Percy ran into Thalia seconds later, literally. He was barreling up the third floor balcony ramp and he slammed into her, knocking her into the Apollo Space Capsule. Before either of them could regain their balance Zoë and Bianca had arrows notched, aimed at Percy's chest. He thought for a moment that they had simply appeared of nowhere, but saw the bows had sprung from a silver ring on their fingers like Artie's bow.

Once Zoë realized it was Percy, she didn't seem to anxious to lower bow, "You! How dare thee show thy face here?"

"Percy!" said Grover. "Thank goodness." Zoë glared at him. "I mean, uh, gosh, Percy, you're not supposed to be here."

"Luke!" gasped Percy as he tried to catch his breath. "He's here."

Thalia placed a hand on her bracelet. "Where?"

Stopping only to breath, Percy told them about the Natural History museum, Dr. Thorn, Luke, and the General.

"The General is here?" Zoë looked stunned. "That is impossible. You lie!"

"Why would I lie? Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors— "

"What?" Thalia demanded. "How many?"

"Twelve!" Percy answered. "And that's not all. The General said he was sending something 'a playmate' to distract you here. A monster."

"Zoë," Bianca looked uneasy, "If it is the General — "

"It cannot be!" Zoë snapped. "Percy must have scene an Iris message or some other illusion."

"Illusions don't crack marble floors." Percy told her.

Zoë rubbed her temples to calm herself. "If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors," she said. "We have no time to are the worse, most horrible . . . we must leave now."

"Great idea." Percy agreed.

"I was not speaking to thee, boy." Zoë said. "Thy are not part of this quest."

"You shouldn't have come, Percy." Thalia said grimly. "But you're here now. Come on, lets back to the van."

"That is not thy decision!" Zoë snapped.

Thalia scowled, "You're not the boss here, Zoë. I don't care how old you are! You're still a spoiled brat!"

It looked like it would come to blows when a growl erupted below them so loud it almost drowned out the screams. Something enormous bounded up the ramp. It was roughly the size of a pick up truck, with silver claws and golden glittering fur. Percy had seen this monster once two years ago from a train. Somehow it looked even larger up close and personal. Its fangs glittled like steel as it lifted a lip to growl before it roared. It roared so loud, it actually parted everyone's hair.

"That's the Nemean Lion." Thalia whispered.

"Separate on my mark." Zoë said. "Try to keep it distracted."

"Until when?" Grover asked.

"Until I can find a way to kill it. GO!"

Percy uncapped Riptide and rolled to the left. Arrows whistled past him as Grover began a rapid sharp candance on his reed pipes. Percy turned to see Zoë and Bianca climbing the Apollo capsule, firing arrow after arrow only to see them bounce and shatter off the lion's fur. With a massive paw, the lion tipped over the capsule and the Hunters spilled off. Grover played a frantic, but horrible, tune and the lion turned towards him, but Thalia jumped in front, brandishing Aegis, and the lion recoiled like the shield was a blazing fire. Percy thought she had it under control, as much as one could control a lion outside of a circus, until he saw its muscles tense as it readied to pounce. Percy then charged the monster and slashed with Riptide which bounced off the monster's fur with a shower of sparks. The lion responded and raked Percy with a massive claw, tearing a substantial chuck from his coat. It backed Percy against the railing and then pounce. With nowhere to go, Percy turned and jumped. He landed on the wing of an old fashioned silver plane which pitched and he nearly spilled off to the ground, three stories below. An arrow whizzed past his head as the lion leaped onto the aircraft, the cords holding up the plane groaning in protest to the sudden weight increase. The lion swiped at Percy and he slid down to the next exhibit, a strange looking spacecraft with helicopter blades. He looked up as the lion opened its maw and roared. Then Percy had an idea. The fur may be invulnerable, but its mouth might not be. The problem was on of distance, namely closing without being ripped to shreds and eaten. Not exactly in that order.

Percy yelled to Zoë, "Zoë, target the mouth!"

The monster lunged and Percy dropped to the ground floor exhibit, a huge model of the earth, as an arrow missed the lion by inches. The Nemean lion growled and steadied itself, but the weight was too much. A cord snapped and the plane swung like a pendulum, the lion stepped onto the globe just it swung over it. Percy yelled to Grover to clear the area who tried the coral the few screaming children just as another cord snapped and the plane crashed to the floor. Thalia dropped down from the second floor and landed across the from Percy on the other side of the globe. The lion regard them both, trying to decide which demigod kill first.

Then a something threw the doors opens to the admission area.

Everyone. including the Nemean Lion, looked as the few screaming civilian ran out past a figure cloaked in black. The cloak was black as night as it covered every inch of mysterious man. At least Percy assumed it was a man since the wearer's face was clad in shadow by the cloaks hood. Percy had seen this newcomer in the Natural History Museum in the upper balconies, so the General had sent another playmate should the demigods prove too much for the lion. But lion didn't seem to know this was an ally and roared before charging the newcomer. Percy and Thalia watched as the newcomer also charged, with no visible weapons. Just as the lion pounced into the air, the cloaked figure ducked low and slid under with a grace that could only be achieved with some practice. He turned as he slide and took a small tube from under his cloak and pressed a button. In a fraction of a second, he held three bronze ball connected by a length of cord. He twirled them and threw it as the lion. The cords caught and wrapped around the lion hind legs so when it landed, it fell and smacked its face on the floor.

"Those bolas will not kill it!" shouted Zoë. "We need a clear shot at its mouth."

"Who's the new guy?" Thalia shouted back.

"I have no idea!"

"Thalia," Percy suddenly remembered he had been here and got an idea. "Keep it occupied!"

Zoë watched Percy take off towards the gift shop. "This is no time for souvenirs, boy!"

The lion backed the cloaked warrior swiping with its claws and snapping its jaws. The cloaked warrior continued to step back slowly, drawing various kinds of deterrents from under his cloak, all off which had no effect. Thalia watched at the lion stepped on a small field of caltrops like it was soft grass, bat aside more bolas, and tear through nets like paper. The Hunters's arrows continued to bounce off and shatter against the lion's fur. Thalia soon found herself also backing up next to the cloaked fighter whom she guessed to be a friend since he was trying to fight the lion with them. She jabbed her spear and brought up Aegis, but she found herself against the wall with faceless ally patting his waist like he had lost something important.

"Out of toys?" she asked.

He brought out two small cylinders, one of which he tossed over the lion and covered the monster in water. The lion simply shook itself dry and growled menacingly at the demigod who going to find out the hard way that cats did not like water.

"Water? That's your ace in the hole?" Thalia shouted. "Percy, whatever you're planning, hurry!"

"HEY!" shouted Percy from behind the Nemean Lion.

The mystery fighter tossed the last small cylinder under the Nemean Lion which sparked with blue electricity. The monster buckled slightly as it trembled with a couple thousand volts coursed through its body. He then tapped Thalia and pointed to the puddle of water that the lion stood in.

"Oh, that's right!" Thalia smiled wickedly. "Water conducts electricity."

Thalia did not call down lightning like her father, they had to be outside for that to happen, but she felt electricity travel from her body down the length of her spear and jump into the puddle of water. The sudden increase in voltage was enough for the lion to open its mouth in pain which was quickly plugged with a cellophane wrapped projectile, courtesy of the gift shop and delivered by Percy's pitching arm. Thalia and their new ally watched as the lion coughed and gagged like the lion had a hairball.

Thalia looked to her still unknown ally, "What was that he just threw?"

The figure's shoulders shrugged, but she swore she heard. "Mew!"

"Zoë, get ready!" Percy shouted.

The lion managed to choke down the cellophane wrapped food and turned to Percy with a look of pure hatred.

Percy hefted another packet. "Snack time!"

It made the mistake of roaring and Percy threw another packet, an ice cream sandwich, down its throat. The lion coughed and gagged as he followed up with more ice cream and a freeze dried spaghetti dinner. Its eyes bugged wide and stood up on it hind legs to escape Percy, its mouth wide open enough to swallow a truck tire.

"Now!" yelled Percy.

Instantly, arrows appeared in the monster's maw — two, four, six. The lion thrashed wildly, turned around, and fell down. And then it was still. Alarms wailed throughout the museum. People flocked to the exits. And security guard were running around in a panic without the slightest idea of what was had occurred. Grover knelt by Thalia as she sat down right there on the floor. She was simply tired and would be fine once she caught her breath. Percy did the same as Zoë and Bianca slid down and joined thier friends, keeping arrows trained on the cloaked stranger, while the lion dissolved until only its hide was left.

"That was an . . . interesting strategy." said Zoë.

Artie threw back his hood and revealed his face. "Hey, it worked."

Zoë did not lower her bow while Bianca did. "What are thou doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Artie seemed annoyed that Zoë had not lowered her bow. "I followed Thorn here."

"We were following Lady Artemis's trail." said Zoë

Artie snorted. "Well, you're heading in the wrong direction."

"How so?"

"The prophecy said to head west." Artie rolled his eyes. "This is Washington, D. C. Its south of New York. You walked right into the General's trap."

"I was against coming here." Zoë folded her arms. "But Grover's tracking spell said this was in the correct direction."

"Don't blame Grover." said Thalia. "If you were better tracker, we wouldn't need to use the spell in the first place."

"You dare challenge my skills, you scullion? You know nothing of being a Hunter!"

"What the heck is a scullion?"

"The male version of a scullery maid. A servant who performed menial kitchen jobs during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance." Artie coughed, "Basically, she was calling you a stupid boy."

Percy looked at Artie, "How did you know that?"

"Annabeth told me once when it came up during a Renaissance period movie." Artie explained. "She went on for nearly an hour how it was an arcitetureal marvel for the time period or something."

Thalia threw back her fist. "That's it!"

Luckily for Zoë, Grover ran up. "We have to get out of here. The security guards won't stay confused for long."

Artie looked around and whistled. "What did you use?"

Grover smiled shyly, "I played a little Barry Manolo. It works every time but it'll only last for a few seconds."

Artie picked up the lion skin and tossed it to Percy. "Here!"

Percy caught it and looked at him. "Isn't it some sort of animal rights violation or something?"

"Its a spoil of war." Zoë explained. "It is rightly thine."

"But you killed it." said Percy.

Zoë shook her head. "I think thy ice cream sandwich did that. Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. Take the fur."

Percy threw it over his shoulder and it shifted into a full length golden brown duster. "Not exactly my style." Percy remarked.

"Hey, Artie." Thalia asked. "Why didn't you use you're bow?"

Artie motioned to his quiver. "Needs a cool down between gadgets. I used a pretty big one getting away from Luke and the General. I won't even be able to use regular arrows until tomorrow morning."

"And your belt is empty." Bianca said.

"Belt?" asked Zoë.

Artie spread his arms apart and displayed the belt. "Not exactly empty. I have some herbs and other medical supplies, but nothing lethal. I used all of those toys against the lion."

Then, not to be forgotten, the kitten poked its head out from a pouch. "Mew!"

"Oh, and him too." Artie smiled. "Just in case we run into a monster who's allergic to cats."

Bianca scratched behind the kitten's ears. "Awww, he's adorable." Then the adorable kitten sank its teeth into her finger. "Ow!"

"Sorry about that." Artie glanced down at the kitten which was giving him big eyes. "I guess he's hungry."

As if to confirm the kitten nearly squeaked. "Mew!"

Artie gently pushed the kitten back into the pouch. "Later, I promise."

Percy gave Artie a quizzical look, "Artie, you didn't happen to — "

"Uh, guys?" Grover pointed to a window. "Please tell me those are just soldiers out on a run."

They all turned to gaze out the window. A group of men were walking across the lawn. Gray skinned men wearing camouflage outfits. While its was too far for either group to see each other, Percy was sure he felt their gaze on him. Then Artie looked a Percy and saw a piece missing from his sleeve. No doubt the skeleton warriors had acquired Percy's scent in the few seconds he was occupied killing the dracenae.

"Go!" said Percy. "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them."

"No!" Zoë said. "We go together."

Percy stared at her. "But, you said — "

Thou are part of this quest now." Zoë said grudgingly. "I do not like it, but there is no denying it. You are the fifth quest member. And we do not leave anyone behind."

Artie couldn't resist a smile. "Well, good luck with that."

Thalia grabbed his shoulder. "You're coming too."

Artie just stared. "You're kidding."

Thalia's eyes flicked to Zoë. "At least until your quiver starts working and you can defend yourself."

Zoë sighed, "Very well, I highly doubt we have the time to debate the matter anyway."

Artie chuckled and held out his hand, "Then I'll get the van."

"Good idea, meet us at exit." Thalia tossed Artie the keys,

Zoë shot Thalia a look, "When did thee pick my pocket?"

"Not bad for a scullion, eh?"


	13. Ignorance Is Bliss

Artie was beginning to wonder where and how Zoë learned to drive as she swerved through traffic which shook him, and the rest of group, like rag dolls. It was when Artie nearly crashed through the back window, he swore Zoë did that last one on purpose, that he saw a helicopter. It looked similar to the one that had appeared at Westover Hall. And it seemed to be following them.

"Zoë?" Artie asked.

"I told thee to use thy seat belt." Zoë jerked the wheel to the left.

"Noted." Artie peeled his face from the window. "But I think, unless I'm being paranoid, we're being followed.

Percy looked up and cursed. "They know the van! We have to ditch it."

"Maybe the military will shoot it down." Grover said hopefully.

"This is the nation's capital." Artie said. "Nothing gets into the air without someone giving the order."

"The military probably thinks its one of theirs." Percy agreed. "How can the General use mortals, anyway?"

"Mercenaries," Zoë said bitterly. "It is distasteful, but many mortals will fight for a cause if they are paid."

Artie reluctantly nodded."Money's only something you need in case you don't die tomorrow."

Percy would have remarked how deep that sounded, but he knew better. "Whats that from?"

Artie managed to buckle his seat belt, "Wall Street."

Thalia closed her eyes and prayed. "Hey, Dad, a lighting bolt would nice right about now. Please?"

The sky stayed gray and cloudy without the slightest hint of a helpful thunderstorm.

The kitten peaked its head out of Artie's belt, "Mew."

Artie rubbed its head and smiled fondly, "You get used it."

"There!" Bianca shouted. "That parking lot!"

"We'll be trapped." said Zoë.

"Trust me."

Zoë shot across two lanes of traffic into a mall parking lot on the south of the Potomac river. They left the van and followed Bianca down some steps.

"Subway entrance." explained Bianca. "We can head south. Alexandria."

"Anywhere." said Thalia.

They bought their tickets without too much trouble, expect for Thalia having to manipulate the Mist when the kitten poked its head out of Artie's belt, and were on a train heading south away from D. C. When their train came above ground, they could see the helicopter circling the parking lot before taking off after the train.

"We have to change trains." Percy said.

Artie stood up with an exasperated sigh, "Alright, let go."

"Um, where are you going?" Thalia asked.

Artie pointed to emergency window on the roof, "I've done this before. Trains are always passing each other."

"I think Percy meant change trains _at the next station_." Bianca turned Percy. "That is what you meant, right?"

"Hold on," said Grover. "You were actually planning juming from the roof of a moving train onto another?"

"No." Artie sat down quietly and saw they were staring at him. "Why are you looking at me? Percy's the one who said change trains."

They did eventually change trains, several times in fact, and escaped the helicopter. Unfortunately, they found themselves at the end of the line at an industrial park with nothing but railways and empty warehouses. And snow, a lot of snow. Artie shivered and adjusted his cloak while Percy did the same with his duster. They all wandered the rail yard in hope of finding another passenger train, but Artie had to places like this before. With the mixture of rust and snow covering an endless row of empty freight cars, Artie was sure this rail yard was mostly abandoned. He was about suggesting making camp inside on of the freight cars when they ran into a homeless man huddled by a trashcan fire. Artie tried to keep a straight face when he saw it was the same homeless man he saw back at D. C.

He waved them over. "Y'all need to get warmed up? Come on over."

They all huddled around the fire, even Artie's kitten poked its head out, as Thalia said with chattering teeth. "Well, this is g-g-g-great."

"My hooves are freezing." Grover complained.

"Feet." Percy corrected for the sake of the homeless man.

"Maybe we should contact camp." Bianca said. "Maybe Chiron can — "

"No." said Zoë. "We are beyond help. We must finish the quest ourselves."

Bianca turned to Artie. "What about you?"

Artie shrugged. "I'm used to be working things out for myself. Just focus on your quest."

The kitten poked its head out of Artie's belt. "Mew!"

Artie's voice grew gentle as he scratched behinds its ears. "I know, but there's nothing here you can eat."

"You know," said the homeless man. "You;re never really without friends. You kids need a ride west?"

"They do." Artie motioned to his friends. "You wouldn't happen to know which train is headed that way?"

They all turned to see as the man pointed behind them. It was a freight train, gleaming and free of snow and rust. It was one of those automobile-carrier trains lined with iron curtain and three levels filled with luxury cars. On the side of the frieght train was a sign that read, SUN WEST LINE.

"That's . . . convenient." Thalia said. "Thanks, uh . . . "

But the man was gone. Not only that, but trashcan fire was gone as well. It was almost as if he had taken the warming golden flames with him, leaving them with an empty and cold trash can.

An hour later the train depart and they were rumbling west. There would be argument to who would drive, because everyone got their own luxury car. Zoë and Bianca occupied a Lexus while Grover played race car driver behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. Thalia crashed in a black Mercedes and hot wired the radio to catch alternate radio stations from D. C. Artie on the other hand, nearly broke eighty-eight miles an hour himself when he saw a 1985 DMC Delorean. Percy thought Artie was seconds away from stealing the car when Artie jumped into the driver's seat.

"You alright?" Percy tapped on the window.

"Alright?!" Artie exclaimed. "Do you know what this is?!"

"A car?"

"Not just any car." Artie rubbed the wheel fondly. "Oh, what I'd do to drive this car."

"Why?"

"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour" Artie could barely contain himself. "You're gonna see some serious stuff."

"Oh right," Even Percy knew that classic time traveling comedy. "Back To The Future."

Percy said good bye and went to join Thalia in her Mercedes as Artie laid the backrest down and allowed the kitten to come out from his belt. He smiled as the kitten kneaded his claws against his armored chest and curled up to sleep. Artie wasn't sure what had made him take the little furry creature with him. Then it hit him like a ton of bricks as he remembered what the homeless man had said back in D.C.

"Poor little guy." Artie repeated as he scratched the sleeping kitten's head. "Left all alone with no one to take care of him."

Just like me, Artie thought to himself.

It was true. This little defenseless kitten had be callously created and then tossed aside into the cold cruel would to fend for himself. In a way, he envied the kitten. He doubted it would ever found out how and why it was created. Something that he wished he had never learned.

* * *

_**(YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - SIX YEARS PREVIOUSLY)**_

_Artie looked up at the sky with contempt, "What are you? Bored up there?"_

_The group of girls parted to make way for a smaller girl passage, but they did not lower their bows. Artie saw that she was not armed, but he was not about to make the assumption that she was any less dangerous for it. She couldn't have been more than twelve with silver streaked auburn hair and eyes just like his, though she did not wear sunglasses to hid hers like he did._

_"What is your name, boy?" the young girl asked._

_"Artie." he answered politely._

_"Your full name." She corrected._

_"Artemis." he said and noticed the girls seemed to be insulted. "Artemis Raposo Gallezi. Who are you?"_

_"I am also Artemis," The young girl smiled slightly, "But you are not the goddess, I take it."_

_Artie shook his head, knowing this was in fact the goddess. "No."_

_"That is good to hear," said Artemis. "Otherwise that would have made the past two millennia rather confusing." Artemis glanced at Zoë. "Zoë is injured. See if she can me moved and we will tend to her back at camp."_

_Two girls lowered their bows and rushed to examine Zoë. They did a quick assessment and both agreed that while injured, none of her wounds were serious. They did wrap her in thick blankets before lashing her to a board. Artie watched as they worked, not daring to move in case the archers should loose their arrow if he so much as scratched his noes. Artemis motioned for the Hunters to lower their bows which they did, but still watched Artie like a hawk._

_"Boys and men are not allowed to see my Hunters." Artemis said plainly. "The last one, just last month, I turned into a jackalope."_

_"Why a jackalope?" Artie couldn't stop himself from asking. He figured he at least deserved a reason before he grew taste for grass._

_"I enjoy making jackalopes." Artemis said simply. "But since you have not only protected one of my Hunters, but rid the earth of Orion. I will refrain from doing so."_

_"I think he might come back. I'm not sure if I really killed him."_

_"You didn't." Artemis clarified. "Orion is a powerful warrior, but he fears death. He returned to the stars to recover. It will be many a year before he returns to hunt me once more."_

_"Or me." Artie said._

_"If you are not already dead when he finally dose return." Artemis motioned for the Hunters to leave and returned to camp. "I know why you have come here, Artie."_

_"You do?"_

_"Yes." The goddess motioned for Artie to follow. "You must recover from your journey. In that time, you shall learn the identity and truth of your Olympian parentage."_

_Artie spent nearly two weeks 'recovering' with the Hunters. In that time, Artemis granted Artie a Hunter's bow so he use the magic quiver that Hephaestus had given him. Zoë had also instructed him, begrudgingly, how to properly use the bow. Since Artie had never held a bow before in his life, he was grateful for the lessons, even if his teacher was less than enthusiastic. Though he was as polite as he could be, the Hunters didn't seem glad that Artemis had allowed him, a boy, to stay with them. However, that did not stop them from eating the fresh deer and rabbits he brought to camp, at Artemis's request. It was one of those night, as he fed Tobias piece of roasted rabbit, when Artemis sent Zoë to bring Artie to her tent. He followed without question and Zoë led him to the tent at the opposite edge of camp where his small tent was. Zoë opened the flaps and stood aside to let him inside._

_Artemis sat upon a wooden throne decorated with various pelts of animals, many of them no longer roaming the earth. The floor in front the goddess were silk rugs and pillows, should she decided to grant an audience, which she had. Her silver bow, carved so that it resembled a gazelle's horns, hung on a polished oak display behind the goddess. In the center, burning without wood or smoke, a golden brazier that kept the tent warm and comfortable._

_The goddess stepped down from her throne and sat cross legged in front of the brazier. She motioned for Artie to sit next to her. "Please, join me."_

_Artie obliged. "You wanted to see me?"_

_"Yes. You recall that you would learn the truth about your Olympian parent?"_

_"Yes." Artie nodded. "You know who it is?"_

_"Why do you want to know so badly?"_

_Artie shuddered when he recalled the incident during capture the flag, the reason for his quest. "Something happened at camp . . . I . . . nearly killed three campers. I don't know how or why, but it was like I lost control." Artie took a breath. "The scariest part was, I could see everything I did. It was like something was controlling me and I couldn't stop no matter how hard I tried."_

_"And you think this is connected to your Olympian parent." Artemis finished. "But have you considered it could a result of your time in the wild?"_

_"You know about that?"_

_"I know more about you than you realized." Artemis stared into his eyes. "The reason you wear sunglasses even at night, how your nails grow into claws when you're scared or angry, and why you can speak with predatory mammals regardless if they are the sacred animal of a god or not."_

_"You've been watching me." Artie realized. "Not since I arrived at camp, but before that."_

_"I have been watching you from the very beginning." Artemis reached out and tapped a finger between his eyes. "A beginning that you are not even aware of."_

_A spark of light flashed when the goddess touched his skin._

_Flashes played behind his eyes. A woman, a man, and a child running through a forest during the night as it snowed. Artemis turning a second man into a deer as wolves took off into pursuit. Three balls of white moonlight, a bright flash, and Artemis holding a baby in her arms. Then he saw flashes of his life, though as if he was observing himself. He saw himself playing soccer with his brother, at the beach with his mother and brother, and learning to play the guitar as his fingers struggled to move properly. Then came his memories from the jungle. Forcing himself to eat grubs and insects. Running and hiding from Thorn. Learning the hard way which plants were safe to eat while others caused him pain. Running and hiding from Thorn. Honing his noes and other senses to any and all predators that might make a meal of him. Running and hiding from Thorn. Huddling around a fire to keep warm as he shivered from the cold. Running and hiding from Thorn. Going without food and water for days at a time. And, of course, running and hiding from Thorn._

_Then just as quickly, Artie was back in Wyoming as he stared into a goddess's eyes, the same eyes he knew that she had given him when he reached Camp Half Blood. In that split second, he learned everything about his lineage. His mother had been Megan Beretti and his father was William Star. They had a son, him, and named him Artemis, though he lacked a middle name and his surname was Star rather than Gallezi. They had sacrificed themselves so Artemis could use their life force, after he lay dying in their arms, so he could live. Somehow, the process had made him a baby again and Artemis took him to live with a surrogate family in Rio De Janerio, Brazil. The woman knew his name had been Artemis and given him the middle name Raposo, the Portuguese word for fox, as well he her surname, Gallezi. He spent the next eight years as a normal child believing Maria and Jacob Gallezi were his biological mother and brother, only to be chased for the next four years after Thorn killed them and tried the same with him._

_"You understand now." Artemis said gently. "You are the first and the only of my children."_

_"I . . . you . . . him . . ." Artie cradled his head, his mind swirling with new old memories. "Why?"_

_"Why?" Artemis repeated._

_"Why didn't you help me?" Artie felt his eyes swelling with tears._

_"I didn't — "_

_"What?!" he demanded. "Didn't care?! That I was scared? That that thing killed my mother and brother and tried to kill me?!" Artie fell to his knees, his hand holding his head. "I thought I was alone and all this time you just watched."_

_"It is against the ancient laws." She explained. "The Gods are forbidden from directly interfering with the lives of their children."_

_"No!" he shook his head. "If you could have child and keep your vow, you could have helped me."_

_"I sent you Tobias," Artemis said soothingly, doing her best to calm him. "He watched over and helped you where I couldn't. Thanks to him you wouldn't have survived." Artemis tried to embrace her son, "Shh. Its over now."_

_Artie scrambled away from the goddess. "Nothing is over! Nothing! You just don't turn it off! I don't feel safe anywhere. Not even at camp, the only place in the world where it IS safe for me." Artie was close to hysterics. "I can't sleep without a knife in my hand. I keep looking over my shoulder when I eat. I can't even stop myself from checking the air for strange smells."_

_"I did not want that life for you." Artemis pleaded. "But — "_

_"What about what I wanted?!" he shouted. "Others want money or to be famous. All I wanted was to go back home. Was that so much?! To go back to the way things were? To just be happy?!"_

_"For demigod." Artemis said grimly. "I'm afraid so. I am sorry, Artie, but you can't go back. Even if you return to Brazil, things will not and cannot go back before your family died."_

_Then Artie ran._

_He ran out of the tent._

_He ran out of the camp._

_He ran until he could run no more and collapsed just as he crossed the border into Montana. But no matter how far, or fast, he could not run from the knowledge that Artemis was right and he could not return to the life he left back in Rio almost five years ago._

* * *

_**(CAMP HALF BLOOD, NEW YORK - SIX YEARS PREVIOUSLY)**  
_

_With no place to go, Artie returned to the only semblance of home he had, Camp Half Blood. Though it had taken him much longer to reach Wyoming, nearly ten days, it was the four day journey back that felt longer to him. He crossed the magical border of camp and reached the Big House just a few hours after dark and Chiron was on his way to bed._

_"Artie?!" he rushed to the demigod's side, should he be injured. "You're alive! Its been nearly a month."_

_It took a moment for Artie to respond. "Feels longer."_

_"Were you successful?" asked the centaur. "Did you learn which Olympian you belong to?"_

_"Chiron?" Artie's voice nearly a whisper from exhaustion._

_"Yes?"_

_"Don't ever ask me that again." He pleaded. "I just wanna forget this ever happened."_

_"I don't understand, child." Chiron knelt by the weary demigod. "What did you learn?"_

_"That somethings shouldn't exist." he began to walk toward cabin eleven and whispered to himself so softly Chiron almost didn't catch it. "Including me."_

_The next day, Chiron watched as cabin eleven ,and the rest of the cabins, filled the dining pavilion for breakfast. He was concerned with what he saw. When Artie had first arrived, he seemed like he had reached the Isles of the Blest. He laughed and fooled around with members of other cabins as well as those of cabin eight. For all intents and purposes, Artie was a normal happy child without a care in the world. But he now, he seemed utterly defeated as he quietly brought up the rear of cabin eleven, his heading hanging low and dragging his feet. Chiron promised himself that once breakfast was over, he would have the child explain what had occurred during his quest. The members of cabin eleven were ecstatic that one of their members, gone for a month and thought dead, had returned. But their cheers and jubilation faded when they saw the blank stared on Artie's face. They pestered him with questions and urged him to recount the events of his quest, but he would not. Eventually they got the hint and figured that he had failed the quest._

_Chiron raised his goblet, "To the gods!"_

_Everyone raised their goblets, except for one. "To the gods!"_

_It was when everyone was returning from scraping a portion of their food into the brazier, that Luke noticed Artie had not moved. Luke had relived when Artie had returned from his quest unharmed, and with magic weapons, but that was about to be for nothing if an angry god blasted the kid for not offering a portion of his meal._

_He went to the young demigod and nudged him playfully. "Thinking which part to give up and which to eat?"_

_"I'm not hungry." Artie stared at his food._

_"Not hungry?" Luke chuckled. "When you first got here I thought we're actually gonna have to start rationing the stuff."_

_"Not anymore."_

_"Come on, whats the matter?" Luke leaned closer to whisper. "Was it your quest?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Did you find out who — "_

_"Yes, and I wish I never did."_

_"It can't be that bad." Luke laid a hand on his shoulder. "Unless it was Ares."_

_"Worse."_

_"Aphrodite?" Luke smiled. "Can't say I blame you, I wouldn't be eager to share a cabin with them even with eleven as crowded as it is."_

_"No." Artie pushed his food away. "Just please leave me alone."_

_Luke sighed. "Alright, but I'd offer something up unless you wanna get blasted by Zeus."_

_Artie stood up without a word, taking his plate with him, and walked to the brazier just as everyone was returning to their places and began eating. Artie stared at the fire and then to sky for a moment. He was sure that Artemis was watching him right, wondering what he would do. Artie was sure that even as low as he felt then, and after all she had done, an angry Artemis could make things much much worse._

_He scraped every last bit of food into the brazier and whispered almost in audibly, "Artemis."_

_Then something happened he wished hadn't and would have allowed him to stay in cabin eleven. Everyone turned their heads when they heard the sound of howling wolves and froze when they saw the floating symbol over Artie's head._

_A crescent moon that resembled a bow and arrow._

_The reactions were varied. Some gagged as they drank milk while some spewed out the liquid in a fine mist. Others choked on their food and their siblings rushed to aid them. But just sat there in silence, silverware clattering as they fell from their hands, and gaped at the impossibility._

_Chiron was the first and only to speak, though it was barely an audible whisper. "It is determined."_

_"No . . ." Artie shook his head, pleading for Chiron not to continue. "Please . . ."_

_Chiron gulped. "Hunter, Protector, Maiden. Hail, Artie Raposo Gallezi, Son of the Moon Goddess."_

_From then on, Artie was alone once more._

_Chiron, as per the rules, moved him to cabin eight. The children of eleven avoided him. The Demeter children ignored him. Ares children and Aphrodite children gave him a wide berth. Charlie and the rest of cabin nine followed suit with the two children of Dionysus and shunned him. But the worst was the Apollo cabin. Before he was claimed, Artie had gotten along best with them. They shared his enthusiasm for music and often enjoyed when he played songs of Brazil for them. But now, if they were not afraid of him, like Annabeth's cabin, they down right hated him._

_Chiron was concerned what was going through the child's mind as all this unfurled before him. Even after all he had seen, Chiron was having a hard time accepting Artemis had claimed the child as her own. But what concerned him most, was the child slowly disappeared over the next week. He could be found on the edge of archery range practicing with a silver longbow and quiver, the Apollo cabin snickering at his poor skill. Or resting in a tree watching the saytrs tend to the strawberries, but eventually came the day when Artie did appear at all. Not for meals, not for activities, or in his cabin. Even when the campers gathered for capture the flag he could not be seen. Dionysus had assured that the boy had not left the borders of the camp, but it was possible that if anyone could slip past without detection it could be Artie. After all, he had spent a good portion of his life avoiding detection._

_But Annabeth, always the clever observer, had noticed things._

_Some of the practice weapons had gone missing, but had reappeared the next morning with new leather grips. The same had also happened with the Apollo cabin's quivers and even been replaced with brand new ones. Luke had noticed that some of the water skins and sandals that the camp store sold had somehow been replaced with higher quality handmade products. She had also overheard the cleaning Harpies commenting on how some food, mostly vegetables and small amounts of salt, were missing from the food stores. And during the last capture of the flag game, some campers had been yanked up off the ground by snare traps that were meant for rabbits and such._

_"I think he's still here." she said to Grover as they trudged through the woods. "Chiron said that Mr.D would have noticed if he left."_

_"But what about food?" Grover asked._

_"These woods aren't just stocked with monsters." Annabeth told him. "He knows how to live off the land. A bunch of Ares campers got snared by traps. I'm betting he's set up a bunch of them all over to catch rabbits and stuff. "_

_"Alright, but why sneak back into camp to steal food if he can get it himself?"_

_"Wouldn't you get sick of eating the same stuff over and over again?"_

_"True." Grover admitted. "But do you seriously think we can find him? In the forest of all places? This is the son of Artemis we're talking about."_

_"He's probably stopped making an effort to cover his tracks." Annabeth frowned. "Its been a week and no one's come looking for him."_

_"Then why are we?" Grover asked._

_"Because that could have been me." Annabeth snapped._

_"The daughter of Artemis?"_

_"No." Annabeth shook her head. "I hadn't been on my own for that long when Luke and Thalia found me, but Artie wasn;t that lucky."_

_"It seems he's used to being alone." Grover remarked._

_"That doesn't make it right." Annabeth said. "Just because he's used to being alone doesn't mean he likes it."_

_"So how are we gonna find him?"_

_"We;re not." Annabeth smiled. "You are."_

_"Okay, how am I gonna find him?"_

_Annabeth pulled out a whistle. "I had Beckondorf make this. It'll mimic the call of his bird. He'll come to investigate and you ask him where Artie is."_

_"And if he doesn't wanna tell us?" Grover asked. "That bird has been with him for years. He's probably the closest thing he has to a friend."_

_"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Keep your eyes on the sky." Annabeth brought the whistle to her lips._

_Grover gazed to the sky as the screech of a hawk echoed through the forest. "That's pretty real sounding."_

_"That wasn't me." Annabeth looked around. "There!"_

_Grover turned and saw Tobias perched on a branch just over their heads. He fluttered to floor and cawed and chirped at them. Then he took off and disappeared into the sky._

_"What did he say?" Annabeth asked_

_"He's hiding in a cave just a little ways north of here." Grover translated._

_"Good!" Annabeth trudged ahead. "Come on!"_

_True to his word, Grover and Annabeth found a large rock formation tucked behind a cluster of trees. They would have easily missed it, had Artie not chosen that exact moment to emerge from a small hole cleverly hidden behind a small bunch of branches made to resemble a bush. Artie froze when he saw them an empty water skin fell from his hand. No doubt he had on his way to refill it in a nearby stream or creek and since he was completely clean, Artie had also used it to bath and wash._

_Artie took off in a flash._

_Annabeth tried to give chase, "Wait!"_

_Luckily for her and Grover, not so much Artie, his foot snagged one of the traps he had laid earlier and yanked him into the air. They both watched as Artie dangled from an ankle, his knives clattering to the floor._

_"Well, that works." Annabeth said. "Artie? We just want to talk."_

_Artie folded his arms across his chest._

_"We want you to come back to camp." Grover told him._

_"I don't." Artie said simply._

_"What have you been doing out here?" Annabeth asked, changing tact._

_"Hunting."_

_"Hunting what?" she asked._

_"Food." Artie seemed to be stuck on single word responses._

_"There's plenty of food back at camp. Why don't you come back?"_

_"Yeah," said Grover. "There can't be many pizza herds around here."_

_"I don't need pizza."_

_"You can't have everything you need out here." Annabeth said._

_"Plenty of food and water." Artie grunted. "All I need."_

_"Plenty of monsters too."_

_"So?"_

_"So aren't you scared?"_

_"I can run."_

_Annabeth motioned to the rope. "And look where that got you."_

_"Why can't you leave me alone!" Artie snapped. "Everyone else did."_

_"I'm not everyone else." Annabeth said sternly. "You need to come back to camp."_

_"Why?!" Artie wheeled to face her. "I've been gone a week and no one even noticed."_

_"We noticed." Annabeth said. "Their just scared. You have to understand this is a little weird for everyone. A child of the Big Three may be improbable, but a child of Artemis is impossible."_

_"Thanks."_

_"That's not what I meant." Annabeth shook her head. "You need to give people time to adjust."_

_"Time to adjust?" he spat. "It took them one day."_

_"They're just jealous." Grover explained. "You know how cabin eleven is."_

_"And everyone else?!" Artie demanded. "Their jealous too?"_

_"You know how many people would kill to be a child of Artemis?" Annabeth asked. "They envy you."_

_"You have no idea what I went through!" Artie snapped. "While you and everyone else were playing with dolls and making friends, I was huddling in the dark trying not die" Artie began to sob. "Do you know what its like?! Not knowing when or what you're going to eat the next morning? Not even knowing if you would see the next day?"_

_"I do." Annabeth said quietly. "It may not have been the same as you, but I went through the same thing." Annabeth took a deep breath. "Look, Artie, you can't keep living in the past. There's nothing you can do to change it. Bad things happen, sometime to the best of us, but you can't keep running."_

_"Why not?" He sniffed. "Its the only thing that seems to work."_

_"Because you're eventually run out of room to run." Annabeth said gently. "Try to think of these bad things that happen, as challenges. Challenges that we need to rise above."_

_"Or what?"_

_"Or give up." Annabeth looked up. "Like now, you can choose to stay here in the woods because of what others say or you can rise above it and prove them wrong. Which is it?"_

_Artie did not answer._

_"Keep in mind," Grover said. "That if you choose to stay here, you're gonna have to figure out your own way down."_

_Artie growled. "Cut me down."_

* * *

_Annabeth and Grover escorted Artie back to cabin eight. Artie was grateful that everyone was at lunch when they arrived at the cabins. Artie walked up the steps and looked back at Annabeth and Grover._

_"Welcome back, Artie." Annabeth smiled._

_"Are you sure you don't wanna come with us to lunch" said Grover. "Plenty of pizza."_

_Artie hid an amused smile, "No thanks. I ate already."_

_"Alright," said Annabeth. "Just don't go running off again."_

_"Trust me, Artie." Grover nudged Annabeth. "You don't want her mad at you."_

_Artie watched them walk off toward the dinning pavilion as Tobias fluttered to the wooden railing next to him. Artie was about to enter the cabin when he heard a faint pop next to him and a flash of light. Artie turned to see a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair wearing mailman's uniform and a winged pith helmet. He was carrying a large box in his arms and a bright smile on his face._

_The man set the box down in front of him. "Artie Raposo Gallezi?"_

_"Yes?"_

_The man held out pad and pen, "Sign here."_

_Artie signed, but asked. "You're Lord Hermes, right? God of travelers and roadways?"_

_"Right on both counts." the god smiled. "Though you're not one for roads."_

_"You know me?"_

_"You've been the meat of gossip for month now." Hermes said. "I mean, a god of the big three may unlikely, but a child of Artemis is — "_

_"Was impossible." Artie corrected. "I've heard it before."_

_Hermes adjusted his hat, "Well, I'd like to stay and chat, but I got a tons of deliveries."_

_Artie motioned to the box. "What is it?"_

_"Open it and find out." And Hermes disappeared in a flash of light._

_Artie drew a knife and sliced through the tape holding the box closed. It was filled dozens upon dozens of DVD's, all from different eras and genres. He saw classics from the silent film era all the way to the latest Hollywood blockbusters. He even saw countless foreign film from dozens of different countries. On top on the neatly stacked plastic cases was a pristine portable bronze DVD player. On top of that was a folded note sealed with wax and stamped with a picture of a lyre. Artie broke the seal and opened the note._

**_Dear Artie,_**

**_While I know you couldn't always afford to go to the movies back in Rio, ten bucks for a small soda is just plain extortion if you ask me, that dosen't mean you can't enjoy them now. I've been meaning to give this to you for a while now, but you didn't exactly have the time. Think of this as four years of missed birthdays and Christmases for my favorite nephew._**

**_Yours Truly,_**

_**Your Tio Apollo**._

_Artie smiled and looked at Tobias. "Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton?"_

* * *

Artie was jerked out of his memory when he heard the sound of screeching metal and felt the train slowing. He gently stowed the kitten back in his belt and glanced out the window. He caught a glance of a sign that said New Mexico and smiled grimly. He wished he could have remained with his friends, even if that meant tolerating Zoë, but Annabeth was in danger. He might love Annabeth like he did Appolonia, but he loved dearly like a sister.

And he had lost enough family members for one life time.

He drew an arrow from his quiver and smiled when he held the deadly shaft in his hand, "Back in business."


	14. Control Regained

"So he just left?" asked Thalia.

Percy nodded as best he could as they all rode a giant boar. "Said his quiver was working again and he just hopped on his bike and left."

"But how dose Artie know where thy friend Annabeth is?" Zoë said. "His prophecy did not mention a direction like ours had."

"I said the same thing." Percy told them. "I figured he could do a tracking spell or something."

"He cannot." said Zoë. "That is woodland magic that only a satyr can cast."

"She's right." Grover confirmed. "But, and I hope he doesn't take this the wrong way, Artie's like a bloodhound. Once he catches a scent and sinks his teeth in, he ain't letting go. He'll find her."

They all continued riding the boar until sunset, which was proving all they could stand. It was like riding a steel wire brush over gravel all day. Percy was not sure how much distance they had covered, but mountains had faded into the distance and were replaced by miles of dry flat land. Grass, shrubs, and other plant life grew scarcer and sparser until they found themselves galloping, if boars did indeed gallop, across the desert. As night fell, the boar came to a stop by a creek bed. He started drinking the muddy water then ripped a chunk of a cactus and began eating, needles and all.

"This is as far as he'll go." said Grover. "We need to get off while he's eating." They all watched as the boar ate another cactus and galloped back east. "He likes the mountains better."

"I can't blame it." said Thalia. "Look!"

Ahead of the heroes was a two lane road covered with sand. On the other side of the road was a cluster of buildings too small to be town ; a boarded up house, a crusty closed taco shack, and whit stucco post office with a sign that read GILA CLAW, ARIZONA. Beyond that were hills . . . at least at first glance. The countryside was too flat for that. The hills were actually enormous mounds of junk like cars, appliance, and other scrap metal. It was junkyard that seemed to go on forever.

"Something tells me we won't find a car rental place here." Thalia looked to Grover. "I don't suppose you got another boar up your sleeve?"

Grover casted a woodland spell with acorns and his reed pipes. "That's us." He pointed to a cluster of acorns before pointing to a single one. "That one is trouble."

"Why do I have the feeling that's me?" asked a voice.

All of the heroes wheel around and aimed their weapons. Percy drew Riptide as Thalia opened her spear while Zoë and Bianca aimed arrows. Even Grover brought his reed pipes to his lips in alarm. Before them stood a bare chested demigod with long silver streaked hair tied back and silver eyes. On a belt, that has various kinds of leather pouches and bags, was leather sheath that held a short bright sword.

Percy lowered Riptide. "Artie?"

"Hey, you were expecting maybe uhh, the Addams Family?" said the demigod with a smile.

Everyone lowered their weapons, everyone but Zoë.

"It could be an illusion." she said.

Artie raised an eyebrow. "Hey, Zoë , how'd your brain implant go, good?"

Zoë lowered bow. "Never mind."

"Which were those from?" Thalia asked lazily.

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III: Turtles in Time." Artie motioned to them to follow. "But I'd recommend sticking to the original. Its really the only worth watching of the three."

Artie lead them to where he had set up camp. He had dug a hole and filled it with scrap wood from the boarded up buildings. He then had surrounded the hole with left over bricks and rocks so it formed a foot tall wall. Artie explained it was so nothing would see the light from the fire and come to investigate, but still provide warmth and a way to cook food. Percy had noticed that Artie's appetite had increased exponentially since they were changed into animals on Circe's Isle, but he was surprised how much food Artie had caught just for himself. Two rabbits were roasting on a long spit of wood in between a large bird that Artie had pointed out was a vulture that been stupid enough to think it could scare him off while he skinned the rabbits. And around the fire were small sticks that had skewered small animals, namely snakes, scorpions, and lizards.

Artie plopped himself down next his armor and cloak and petted a the kitten as it munched on the remains of a rattlesnake. "Help yourselves."

"Um, Artie?" asked Grover.

Artie plucked a stick by the fire and bit into a scorpion. "Yeah, Grover?"

"You know we satyrs are vegetarians right?"

Artie tossed the stick into the fire, the unfortunate scorpion gone. "Lucky for you, I know I can't survive on meat alone." Artie tossed a small sack the size of basketball. "Here."

Grover opened the bag. "I didn't see any farmers markets close by."

Artie chuckled. "Annabeth once told me, there are more wild edible plants in the Arizona-Sonoran Desert region than anywhere else on Earth." Artie snatched another scorpion. "There prickly pears in there with Christmas Cholla berries and American Wild carrots. I even found some saguaro cactus fruits that looked ripe." Artie tossed the stick into the fire.

"Whoa." Bianca gasped and looked up from rabbit she and Zoë had split. "This taste amazing."

"I bought some salt on my out of Cloudcroft." Artie admitted. "I used a little and seasoned them with some watercress and Yerba Porosa I found when I was refilling my water skin."

"Yerba what?" asked Thalia.

"It is known as summer cilantro." Zoë explained as finished her portion of rabbit. "But this seems like quite a lot of food for a single person, were thee waiting for us?"

"Honestly?" Artie snatched a snake and began slicing it into smaller piece for the kitten. "No, I wasn't. I was planning on smoking whatever I didn't eat and going on my way. It was when I caught your scent a little while ago and came to investigate."

Thalia sucked the meat from a vulture wing and smacked her lips. "My gods, where were you when we were digging through dumpsters."

"Probably learning which mushrooms were poisonous." Artie said flatly. "The hard way."

"I'm sorry," Thalia said. "I didn't mean . . . um, I didn't"

"Forget about it." Artie swallowed a large chunk of rattlesnake. "On the bright side I learned which mushrooms make you all dopey."

"You've taken Shrooms?" asked Percy.

"I've also drank liquor when I couldn't find water and smoked cigarettes to try to cover my scent." Artie snapped. "The law is the last thing on your mind when you're trying survive the day."

"Alcohol and tobacco cannot cover thy demigod scent." said Zoë.

"I'll make sure to stitch that on a pillow." Artie sneered.

"She's just trying to help." said Bianca.

"Why?" Artie demanded.

"Because Chiron showed us what happened to you." said Grover as he swallowed a prickly pear.

"How much?" Artie's eyes narrowed.

"Everything." said Zoë quietly. "From thy family's death in Alaska to thy life in South America until thy arrival in the United States."

"Great." Artie muttered as he hugged his knees. "Just great."

"Look, Artie." Percy laid a hand on his shoulder. "When I lost my mom— "

"Don't . . . even." Artie growled. "You got her back."

"What?"

"You have no idea what its like." Artie stared daggers. "You couldn't even begin to understand what its like to have person after person die in front of you." Tears began to form in the corner's of Artie's as his voiced cracked with emotion. "All because you're too weak and force everyone to take care of you."

"You're not weak, Artie." said Thalia. "Who else could fight a manticore with their bare hands?"

"Tell that to my family." Artie sighed and rested his head against his knees. "Both of them."

"You were just a small child." said Zoë. "From Chiron showed us thee were barely more than an infant. Your mother had to carry you so you would not fall behind."

"And my mother and brother in Rio?" Artie had not removed his head from his knees.

"Chiron said thy cous — brother was child of Apollo." Zoë said gently. "Monsters begin to challenge heroes when they smell their scent. For most, it is at age twelve or so. It is unfortunate that he managed to attract such a powerful monster, but he must have possessed quite a powerful scent for one so young."

"Or Thorn came looking for me and they just got in the way." Artie countered.

"Tis unlikely, thee merely eight." Zoë said.

"If Chiron showed you the night they were killed, then you know what he said to my mother." Artie spoke Portuguese. "_Diga-me onde ele está e que eu poderia fazê-lo rápido._" Artie sucked in a breath. "Tell me where he is and I might make it quick. Why would he ask for Jacob when he was already dead in the other room?"

"I do not know." Zoë said.

"I know. I've known since I learned it was our scent that attracts monsters." Artie sniffed. "I may have been eight, but I was first child of Artemis so of course I'd have a really strong scent. Thorn killed Jacob thinking it was me and then killed my mother once when I came home because he didn't need her anymore." Artie began to sob, not caring he was being watched. "They're dead because of me."

"That's not true." Percy said. "Back in D.C, the General said he — "

"And I can never take it back!" Artie wailed.

"Take what back?" Thalia asked.

"We wanted to go to stadium because Pele was supposed to be there signing autographs." Artie said, trying hold back his tears. "But she wouldn't let us go. We didn't much money, but we wouldn't listen." Artie looked up, tears running from his silver eyes and his lip trembling. "The last thing I ever said to her, to the person who loved me like her son, was that I hated her and wished she'd die so Jacob and me could finally do things she would never let us do."

No one could think of anything to say as Artie began to sob uncontrollably. Even the kitten paused from eating to stare at the demigod that had rescued him from the cold and given him food. This was all foreign territory for them. Thalia had parental issues as well, but they were the exact opposite. She never got along with her mother and it was the death of her brother, Jason, that finally made her run away. Zoë had had similar problems with her father and sisters. Percy might argue and be embarrassed on a daily basis my his mother, but he still couldn't think of living without her. Grover's family not have been a typical one, but it was still a loving and nurturing one. And Bianca couldn't even remember her family or how they had been, other than Nico.

"I swear I didn't mean it!" Artie was in hysterics at this point. "And when Jacob tried to talk me out of sneaking out, I told him I didn't need him. I didn't need anyone."

Zoë stood up and rested Artie's head on her lap as he continued sobbing. "Shh . . . let it out . . ." Zoë crooned gently. "Let it out till there is no more."

"Why couldn't she just let me die?" Artie whispered as he gasped for breath. "None this would have happened. Jacob, Maria, Luke, and Annabeth . . . they'd all still be here if it wasn't for me."

"I do not know, Artie." Zoë brushed a lock of hair from his face. "I've been with Lady Artemis for countless ions and even I do not fully comprehend her actions or decisions."

Artie began whispering to himself in Portuguese and Percy could of sworn Artie was either begging or praying, or maybe a little bit of both. "_Por favor, me desculpe. . . Eu não quis dizer isso. . . Eu só quero de volta. . . tudo culpa minha. . . demasiado pequena. . . muito fraco_."

Tobias flew down from the sky and watched for a moment before chirping to Grover. "What?" Tobias chirped again as he flapped his wings. "Are you sure?" Tobias screeched angrily. "Okay, okay." Grover motioned for everyone to cover their ears. "Not him."

Grover began to play a slow gentle lullaby on his reed pipes. Everyone watched as Artie and his kitten both began to fall asleep. The kitten fell to its side with a slight puff of dust as Artie's laments began to cease and was using Zoë's lap as a pillow. They all lifted their hands from their ears once Grover stowed his reed pipes.

"What was that?" Percy asked.

"A little bit of Mozart." Grover smiled slyly. "Puts most who hear to sleep."

"Why?" Bianca laid the sleeping kitten in her lap and smiled sweetly as it purred when she began petting.

"Tobias asked me to." Grover looked to to Tobias again who chirped and squawked. "Yeah, I could tell."

"Could tell what?" asked Zoë. "We cannot understand Tobias, Grover."

"You guys probably couldn't tell." Grover said. "But Artie was kinda relieved."

"Relieved?" Percy repeated.

Tobias began chirping and Grover nodded. "Sure, no problem." Grover then looked to everyone. "Tobias wants me to translate." Grover took a deep breath. "He's relieved because he's been holding all that in for the past eight years."

"That was when I saw him last." Zoë gasped. "He just ran out of camp and we did not see him again."

"Until we all met up in Maine." Thalia said.

"Yes." Zoë confirmed. "That must have been when Lady Artemis revealed his past to him."

"Precisely." Grover continued translating. "But she did not realize how he would react. She was not aware of his fatal flaw."

"Fatal flaw?" asked Bianca.

"All heroes posses one." Zoë explained. "It can be anything, like undying loyalty or egotistical arrogance." Zoë looked to Tobias. "What is Artie's?"

"Guilt." Grover translated. "He blames himself completely for the death of his family. He blames for the death of countless animals that died at the hands of manticore so he could escape. He even blames himself for putting Annabeth in danger."

"But that wasn't his fault!" Percy protested. "If its anyone's fault, its mine."

"It is what he believes to be true." Grover responded for Tobias. "He believes if he had been able to kill it when it ambushed us in Florida, she would not have fallen trying to protect you."

"That's over thinking a little bit, isn't it?" Percy asked.

"Is there anything we can do to help him?" Bianca said. "Like a spell or something?"

"No." Grover said. "He must face that alone."

* * *

_Artie awoke to the taste of fresh rainwater on his tongue and the smell of wet mud in his nostrils. He quickly sat up and gazed around, confused by his surroundings. He was in the middle of a rainforest, but not any rainforest. This particular one held great importance to him. He had spent months learning and fighting to survive here. What he learned here, had helped as he ran all over the rest of the continent and would continue keeping him alive. He sniffed the air to be sure. The scent was exactly as he remembered. There was no doubt about it in his mind. He knew the trees, dirt, and the creek only a few feet to his left. Somehow he had been transported to Brazil, and if memory served him right, he was only fifty miles from Rio de Janerio._

_Artie rolled his eyes and stamped his foot. "Not this again!"_

_Artie looked down at his clothes. The last time, when he was tricked into drinking a magic milkshake on Circe's Isle, he wore blue short with a yellow Pele jersey and soccer cleats. Now, he wore his moonsilver armor, cloak, and belt. He flexed his left hand and his silver longbow sprang from his ring. He collapsed the bow and reached over his shoulder and felt his quiver. While he was glad that he was armed, even his Kopis was on his hip, he was confused to why he was here again. Artie knew he was not in fact really the rainforest, but back in his mind. He was certain that he did not drink a magic milkshake, but he vaguely remembered falling asleep as he heard reed pipes being played by Grover. So Grover, hopefully not intentionally, had mentally transported Artie back to where Leonidas, his alter personality, had a panther sink its teeth into his skull to release him from the spell. That however, resulted in some minor side effects. Artie's appetite would increase nearly tenfold along with taste for fish and fowl. As he discovered when he returned to Camp Half Blood, his temper had also inflamed. No longer did he turn the other cheek or brushed it off. Gene, Clarisse, a purse snatcher, and one failing Spanish student could all attest to that. Working from memory, Artie decided to return to the clearing with the waterfalls. If this was going to be anything like the last time, he was going to have be released again._

_He just prayed that it did not involve Leonidas and Lutar again._

_With his luck, he'd wake up with no qualms of ripping out a throat for giving him a sideways glance._

_Artie reached, using the treetops and branches like he had learned to do in the real jungle, in minutes. He recalled that it had taken hours the first time, but he didn't give a second thought since this was his mind and susceptible to change. Exactly as he remembered, it was a huge clearing with three beautiful freshwater waterfalls hundreds of feet tall. At the base of each waterfall, the rock formations formed a large pool. None of pools fed into a river nor did they overflow. It was as if the pools only took the water they needed to stay full and the rest simply disappeared. He knew now there must be some hidden meaning behind the falls, but it would have to wait until later. Just like the waterfalls, Artie saw that both pools opposite each other had a large animal drinking from them. Drinking from the pool on the far left was a Ceryneian Hind, the sacred golden deer of Artemis, Vôo. Opposite the deer on the pool to the far right was large silvery white panther, cautiously watching him as it lapped up water. Lutar._

_But rather than his mother and brother in the middle pool. Leonidas sat on stone throne. Like usual, he was clad in a dented and scratched bronze breast plate over a red Greek chiton. He wore no pants, leaving his legs bare — except bronze greaves on his shins and leather sandals on his feet. a large bronze shield with the Greek Lambda (Λ) painted on in red rested against the throne along with a worn wooden spear with a blood stained iron tip. On his hip was a thirty centimeter long double-edged single-handed sword made of common bronze. His face was also the same with a rough beard flecked with spots of white that matched his hair. His hair was the same length it had always been — not long enough to tie back but long enough to be blown back in wind. His face could be considered handsome, in brutish like way, with the only blemish being a scar over his right eye, like someone ran a blade down his face._

_Leonidas threw his arms wide and gave a bright smile. "Welcome back!"_

_Artie was in no mood. "How do I get out of here?"_

_Leonidas took in Artie's armor. "Maybe you shouldn't have gone with the batman look."_

_"Then speak up next time!" Artie snapped. "Look, I don't have time to sit here and talk fashion with myself."_

_"Really?" Leonidas asked mildly puzzled. "Why is that?"_

_"You know why." Artie clenched his jaw. "Annabeth is in trouble and she's running out of time."_

_"Annabeth?" Leonidas eyes narrowed. "I had Lutar release you so you could hunt down Thorn not go around chasing some girl that stuck her noes where it didn't belong."_

_"That girl," Artie growled. "Is in trouble because of me."_

_"So the monster that killed your family and chased you like animal is less of priority?" Leonidas asked dangerously calm._

_"Yes!" Artie paused. "I mean, no . . . uh, I mean . . . "_

_"Take your time." Leonidas chuckled._

_"I don't have time for this!" Artie shouted._

_"Make time!" Leonidas snapped. "Either revenge for your family or saving that Athena girl. Which is it?"_

_"What do you mean which is it?" Artie asked. "The prophecy said — "_

_"I don't care what it said!" Leonidas leveled a finger. "You wanna get out of here? Pick one! And make sure its the right one."_

_Artie was stunned. All he ever wanted for the past eight years was revenge. To payback the monster that ruined his life. He envisioned it every night before falling asleep and every day when he hones his archery and tracking skills. He wanted nothing more than to see Thorn beaten, broken, and begging for mercy as he laid in front him bleeding and desperately clinging to life. As far as Artie was concerned, he could die with a clear conscience and absolutely no regrets so long as Thorn was made to suffer for every second he stole from Maria and Jacob Gallezi as well as the four years of his life in the jungle._

_But at what cost?_

_Even if he killed Thorn, the monster would only reform and return as monsters were known to do. He could continue hunting Thorn, but he would just continue reform while Artie would age and grow weaker until Thorn could turn the tables and kill him. Unlike monsters, demigods tended to stay dead when they died. Then was the cold fact that killing Thorn would not bring back his mother and brother, nor would it change the four years of surviving in the jungle. While he would not hesitate to kill Thorn if he stood between him and Annabeth, he could not live with himself if something happened to a friends because he was being selfish. Plus, he could always hunt down Thorn once she was out of harm's way._

_"Well?" Leonidas demanded, tapping his foot impatiently._

_"I'm going after Annabeth." Artie told him firmly._

_Leonidas nodded once. "I thought so."_

_Faster than Artie thought possible, even with his reflexes, a fist collided with his jaw and sent him to the floor. Artie glanced up and barely managed to roll to the side when he saw a bloody spear tip rushing toward his face. He shot to his feet as he opened his bow and nocked an arrow. He saw Leonidas's shield and spear had magically appeared in his hands and he was just itching to use them._

_"What are you doing?" Artie asked._

_"I've been stuck here twiddling my thumbs for almost a decade." Leonidas growled. "While you've been taking your sweet time tramping across the country and ocean with your stupid little friends." His grip tightened on his spear. "It was insulting enough that you went to help that blasted son of Poseidon and that spoiled brat of hunter instead of finishing off Thorn, but now when everything I've worked is so close to fruition," The angry warrior leveled his spear. "You throw it all away to save some pathetic daughter of Athena!"_

_"I'm not going to let one of my only friends die just to kill a monster that's just gonna reform." Artie pulled back the string, but didn't aim the arrow. "Even if I kill Thorn, it won't bring them back."_

_"Have you forgotten what that monster took from you?" Leonidas demanded. "Your mother, your brother, your home, even your very childhood!"_

_"And how does killing him change that?" he countered._

_Leonidas had enough of words and charged._

_Artie loosed the arrow only to have lodge itself in the __Leonidas's_ shield as he charged. Artie may have been accustomed to being charged, anyone with half a brain stem knew to close the distance when fighting an archer, but not by someone who could match his speed. He was so surprised by the Spartan's speed, he nearly was skewered by the spear on the first lunged. Leonidas forced Artie to move in every conceivable way as he jabbed with his spear with blinding speed. It was only when Leonidas jabbed then spun backwards to his left that he actually hit his target. Luckily for Artie, it was not with his spear but the bronze shield. Still it was enough to send Artie to the floor and knock the wind out of him.

_"You've had eight years." Leonidas held the spear tip to Artie's throat. "Now its my turn."_

_"What?!" Artie asked._

_"This time Lutar is going to release me." Leonidas growled. "Not you. With me in control, I'll be able to do what you were too weak to do."_

_"And my quest?" Artie demanded._

_" Here's the thing . . ." The Spartan King grew cold and paraphrased Gangs Of New York. "I don't give a tuppenny f #$ about your quest, you meat-headed s #$ - sack. All I want is to laugh like a clown as that pathetic excuse for a creature begs for mercy at my feet."_

_With lighting speed, Artie drew and slashed through the wooden shaft of his attacker's spear with his Kopis and rolling to side and to his feet. While Artie was not one to fight hand to hand, he knew that Leonidas would give him the opportunity to use his bow. He may have been denied his most deadly weapon, but Artie still had his Kopis, claws, and a belt full gadget to even out the playing field. While Leonidas tossed aside the wooden spear shaft and drew his Xiphos short sword, Artie reached into his belt and retrieved a small cylinder. Not giving Leonidas the chance, Artie charged. His opponent saw him coming and brought up his shield. At Artie's speed, it would be like running full sprint into a brick wall, if Artie had not planned on it. Artie slowed enough and actually used the shield as ramp, throwing the small cylinder into Leonidas's face which covered the Spartan's face in white sparkling powder._

_Leonidas bellowed in rage as he learned, the hard and painful way, that the powder was finely ground glass._

_Artie leapt off the shield and retreated a few feet. "Metsubushi!" Artie explained. "Used by the ninja assassins of Japan. I learned that from that little pathetic Athena girl."_

_Artie charged, intending end the battle quickly, only to have Leonidas hear his footsteps and bring out his massive python of an arm which flipped Artie up and over onto his back. For good measure, the spartan brought down his foot hard on Artie's chest. While none of this had actually happened in the real world, his last visit to this place had taught him he could feel pain all too real._

_Leonidas placed his foot on Artie's chest and leaned in. "And you learned that from Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler."_

_Artie coughed as he tried to laugh. "You know what I'm thinking? Two words . . . RE - MATCH."_

_"Sorry, kid." __Leonidas _threw out his arm and the splintered, but still sharp, wooden spear shaft shot back into his hand and he held it high over his head. "Like you said, I don't have time to waste."

_Leonidas brought down spear and Artie closed his eyes, not wanting his last image to be of this ugly part of himself laughing at his triumph._

_But no pain came._

_Artie opened his eyes and couldn't believe what he saw._

_Both Lutar and Vôo had caught the shaft with their teeth, stopping it mid strike. But they were not the only ones there. Two pairs of hand had also caught the shaft. The smallest pair belonged to his brother, Jacob Gallezi, that looked exactly as Artie remembered him at age twelve. The other pair belonged his mother, Maria Gallezi, and all of them staring daggers at Leonidas._

_"What are you doing?" Leonidas demanded._

_"My duty!" snarled Lutar._

_"Our duty." corrected Vôo, though he sounded as if he regretted doing so._

_"Go away!" snapped Jacob. "And don't come back."_

_"You have plagued him long enough." said Maria firmly._

_"Its his fault that you're dead!" roared Leonidas._

_"What mother wouldn't sacrifice herself to save her child?" Maria asked simply._

_"And his brother?" sneered Leonidas._

_"I was his big brother!" announced Jacob. "Big brothers are supposed to protect their little brothers."_

_Altogether, they threw Leonidas back and he simply stared_

_Artie sat up and looked at his saviors. "Mom? Jacob?"_

_Maria smiled. "Like I told you last time, these things happen. Its not your fault or anyone else's."_

_Jacob nodded and smiled. "And the sooner you get that through your thick head, the sooner you can move on with your life and be happy."_

_"Just like coward you are." Leonidas spat. "Hiding behind others to protect you."_

_"Where as the Spartans of ancient Greece didn't!"" Artie grew angry and stood up. "The Ares campers aren't the smartest group of people. I was the farthest thing from a spartan. They were the great warriors because they relied on each other."_

_"And look where that got you! Both of your families are dead because of you! Your mother and father died because you slowed them down."_

_"Again, what parent wouldn't sacrifice their life to protect their child?" Maria asked. "A three year old child wouldn't slow down two adults any more than a backpack."_

_The spartan ignored her. "Face it! You stole the lives of four innocent people so you could live."_

_"I couldn't protect my parents at three any more than I could have protect my mother and brother at eight." Artie growled. "I done dwelling on the past. If by some reason I make a mistake, I'm not going to wallow in it. I'm going to do what I should have done in the first place and own up to it."_

_"Luke!" grunted Leonidas. "He turned against the gods because of you."_

_"No!" Artie said firmly. "He turned against the gods because of his father. Its not my fault he was jealous that Artemis claimed me."_

_"Annabeth." Leonidas seemed to be grasping at straws. "You said it yourself, she's in danger for protecting you."_

_"And I would have done the same for her." Artie countered. "Which is why I asked for this quest to save her."_

_"You're not going to be rid of me." Leonidas warned. "I am part of you."_

_"Were." Artie corrected. "Do you remember what you told me last time I was here? When you told me who you really were?"_

_Leonidas drew himself up like a king. "I am what you wished to be every time you cried yourself to sleep over your family. Brave enough to never run from a fight and strong enough to win everyone of them."_

_"You were wrong." Artie stared coldly. "You were born and continue to live out of my desire for revenge." Artie then said with absolutly authority. "And since I don't want it anymore, you no longer exist."_

_"No!" The Hero - King's eye grew wide. "You need me!"_

_"I did, but not anymore." A ghost of smile appeared on Artie;s face as he quoted the 1956 classic, High Society. "End of story."_

_And with that, the hero king of Sparta simply faded from sight._

_Artie watched as Lutar and Vôo returned to their pools without so much as a backward glance. Artie was left with his mother and brother, both of whom smiled at him proudly. Artie knew they were not really his family, only his memory of them, but he had get one final thing off his chest._

_"About what I said," Artie almost whispered. "To the both of you, I'm — "_

_"Its alright." assured Maria. "I knew you didn't mean it. People, kids too, say things they don't mean when thier mad enough."_

_"Yeah," agreed Jacob. "Plus, it was Pele after all."_

_Artie wiped his eyes. "So how do I get out of here?"_

_"Just wake up." said Maria gently. "You don't need anyone to release you like last time._

_"Thanks." Artie closed his eyes. "It was nice to see yo again."_

* * *

Artie awoke for the second and real time. He saw that Bianca, Thalia, and Grover were speaking with a mean looking biker as he leaned on a luxury limousine. Artie recognized the biker as Ares, the god of war, and Percy's absence meant he was probably speaking with someone in the limo. Artie jumped slightly when he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

"My apologies." said a concerned looking Zoë. "You were tossing and turning quite bit in thy sleep. A bad dream?"

"For someone." Artie said with a hint of smile.

Zoë examined him for a moment. "You seem different somehow."

"I feel different." Artie smiled wholeheartedly and settled on a quote from In the Good Old Summertime. "Psychologically, I'm very confused, but personally I feel just wonderful."


	15. Artie Wants To Fight Godzilla

"So Aphrodite just came down from Olympus to tell you not take anything from the junkyard?" Artie asked as he slid a shirt and the chest piece of his armor.

"Yeah," said Percy after he explained his meeting with the goddess of love.

Zoë narrowed her eyes. "Be careful, Percy. She has led many heroes astray."

"I'd hardly say that." Artie threw his cloak on and adjusted the fibula under his chin. "But Zoë has a point."

"I agr — " Thalia froze and stared at Artie.

Artie looked up from tightening his belt. "What? Is my fly open or something?"

"No."

"Good." Artie said. "Because I forgot to make one when I put the armor together."

"You just agreed with Zoë." Thalia pointed out. "Like it was no big deal."

"So?" Artie asked.

"You never agree with anything she says." Bianca said. "Appolonia had force feed you nectar when Zoë said the coffee you made was too hot to drink and you chugged a whole mug in seconds."

"I thought it was quite funny." Zoë shrugged.

"Try Charlie Chaplin if you like slapstick." Artie held out his palm to Bianca. "Give me Diego."

"Diego?" Bianca asked.

"Mew!" said the kitten, poking its head out its favorite pouch on Artie's belt.

"There you are." Artie rolled his shoulders. "Sword, belt, cloak, and armor. Let's go!"

"Less than hour ago, you were curled up on the floor mumbling to yourself in Portuguese." Thalia reminded. "Are you sure you're alright."

"To paraphrase Sin City," Artie's voice grew rough and coarse. "Sometimes all anyone's gotta do is let it out and a few buckets later there's no way you'd know."

"Okay," said Percy, eager to get a move one. "How do we get out of here?"

Artie and Zoë both pointed and said together. "That way."

"This is becoming most weird." Zoë said.

"Ditto." Artie paused as he realized he agreed with Zoë for the third time in as many seconds. "How can you tell?"

"Ursa Major is there." Zoë pointed to the sky. "That makes that direction, North." Zoë then pointed to her left. "Which mean that is west. How did thee reach that conclusion?"

"Roughly the same way." Artie admitted and pointed to another cluster of stars. "But I used the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia to find Polaris."

"Polaris?" Thalia asked.

"The North Star." Artie explained. "The three wise men used it. Once I found it, the only way to mess it up would be to forget the points of a compass."

"Guys?" Grover broke in. "Look!"

They had reach the crest of a junk mountain. Piles of metal objects glinted in the moonlight : broken heads of bronze horses, metal legs of human statues, smashed chariots, tons of dented shields and bent swords and lots of other kinds of weapons along more modern stuff, like cars that gleamed gold and silver, refrigerators, and computer monitors.

"Whoa!" Bianca gasped. "Some of the stuff . . . looks like real gold."

"It is." Thalia said grimly. "Like Percy said, don't touch anything. This is the junkyard of the gods."

"Junk?" Grover picked up a gold crown that looked as it had been split by an axe. "You call this junk?" He bit off an end. "This is delicious!"

Thalia swatted the crown away. "I'm serious!"

"Look!" Bianca picked up a silver bow that glinted in the moonlight. "A Hunter's bow!" She yelped as it began to shrink into a crescent moon hair clip. "Its just like Percy's sword!"

"And our bows" said Zoë. "Leave it, Bianca."

"But — "

"It is here for a reason. Anything thrown away in this junkyard must remain in the yard. It is defective. Or cursed."

Bianca carefully set down the clip and came up laughing. "Oh, that is priceless."

Everyone turned to see what was so hysterical.

Artie had also decided to forgo Aphrodite's warning as well and was fiddling with an old-looking remote control. At his feet was a wind up rat being swatting around and pounced on by a playful little Diego. Artie was trying to confuse and disorient the kitten as he made it spin in circles and weave left and right.

Artie was oblivious to the stares as he egged on Diego. "Come on, you almost got it that time."

"Artie, didn't you hear Zoë?" Thalia took the remote and chucked it far away. "This stuff could be cursed."

Diego hissed at her.

"No, no." Artie sighed. "She's right."

Diego stared up at the daughter of Zeus.

"What?" she demanded. "Got something to say?"

Diego sank his sharp, and surprisingly strong, teeth into Thalia's shoe.

Thalia jumped back with a yelp. "Ow!"

Diego quickly scurried behind Artie's boot and hissed as if to warn there was more to come. Everyone looked away as they tried not to snicker and burst out laughing.

"He bit me!" Thalia growled.

"You took away his toy." Artie remarked. "What do expect frtoom a baby?"

"Can't you control him?"

"Aw, did the wittle baby kitten give da big stwong Thalia a boo boo?" Artie teased.

Thalia's eyes sparked with electricity. "Boo boo?"

Artie plucked Diego by the scruff his neck and held him up to Thalia's face. "Apologize."

"He started it." Thalia protested.

"Not you." Artie gave Diego a slight shake. "Well?"

Diego gave Thalia big wide eyes and batted her nose gently. "Mew?"

"You're lucky you're cute." Thalia rolled her eyes. "Come on, lets get out of this yard."

They began picking their way through the hills and valleys of junk. If Artie and Zoë had not pointed out Ursa Major and Polaris, it would have been easy to get lost as all the mountains looked like the rest. Despite Zoë and Thalia's nagging to leave everything untouched, there just was too much cool junk. Percy found an electric guitar that looked like Apollo's lyre while Grover found a broken tree made of metal. It had been chopped into pieces, but some the metal bird figurine whine and flapped their wings when Grover picked it up. Even Artie found a collapsible silver boomerang with razor sharp edges sticking out of an armored dummy. It looked as if two curved hunting knives had been welded together and required a special grip to throw and catch without cutting your fingers off.

"What is that?" Bianca pointed to a mound.

Ahead of them, with the highway beyond that, was a hill much bigger and longer than the others. It was like a metal mesa ,the length of a football field and as tall as goalposts. At one end was a row of ten thick metal columns, wedged tightly together.

"They look like — " Artie began to say

"Toes." Grover said.

Bianca frowned. "Really, really big toes."

"Let's go around." said Thalia. "_Far _around."

"But the road is right there." Percy protested.

"Yeah," Artie agreed. "Quicker to climb over."

_Ping_!

Thalia hefted her spear while Zoë and Artie drew arrows, but then soon realize it was only Grover. He had thrown a piece of scrap metal at the toes and hit one, making a deep echo as if the columns were hollow.

"Why did you do that?" Thalia demanded.

Grover cringed. "I don't know. I, uh, don't like fake feet."

"And I don't like Justin Bieber." Artie collapsed his bow. "You don't see me chucking stuff at him."

"Didn't someone nail him with a water bottle during one of his concerts?" Percy asked.

"So you want to go around, Thalia?" Artie said quite brisk. "Let's get a move on."

No one argued and after several minutes of walking, they reached the highway which was an abandoned, but well light, stretch of black of asphalt.

"We made it out!" Zoë exclaimed. "Thank the gods."

But the gods apparently did not want to be thanked. Behind them, the mountain of scrap began to rise and boil up. It seemed the columns resembled toes because they were toes. The owner of those toes was a giant bronze statue in full Greek battle armor. It was impossibly tall, like a skyscraper that been given arms and legs. It gleamed wickedly in the moonlight. It bent down slightly, its rusty joints creaking at the slightest movement, to reveal that the left side of his face had been partially melted. Across his chest, written in dust by a giant finger. were the words WASH ME!

"Talos!" Zoë shouted.

"Who's Talos?" Artie asked as he handed Diego to Tobias. "Get him out of here."

"One of Hephaestus's creations." Thalia said. "But it's too small. It must be a prototype. A defective model."

Talos drew his sword from his belt. The sound of that came as it left its sheath was horrible, metal screeching against metal. The blade alone was over a hundred feet, easy. It was rusty and dull, but it did not matter. A blow from that weapon would be like getting hit by battleship.

"Someone took something." Zoë looked to the others, "Who took something?"

"Figure it out later!" Artie opened his bow. "Run!"

They all scattered, like they had with the Nemean Lion. Thalia drew her shield and held it up as she ran down the highway. The giant swung his sword and took out some power lines which sparked and exploded in Thalia's path. Zoë and Artie fired arrow after arrow that shattered harmlessly against the giant's metal face, like two human machine guns as each ran around the giant, Artie went left and Zoë went right. Grover bleated like a baby goat and climbed up a mountain of metal. Talos then brought down a massive foot on a mountain scrap, nearly crushing Bianca and Percy as they hid behind the remains of a broken chariot. Talos then brought up his foot again when Grover shouted to get his attention.

"Hey, Talos!" Grover shouted.

Grover then began to play a quick melody on his reed pipes. Over by the highway, the downed power line began to dance. One of the poles, with the wires still attached, flew towards Talos's leg and wrapped itself around his calf. The lines sent a jolt of electricity up the giant's backside. Talos whirled around, creaking and sparking, and raised its sword. Then two massive fireball, each with a thunderous boom, engulfed the hand that held the sword, causing him to drop it, and the left side of his face. Percy and Bianca turned to see Artie collapse his bow to regrasp the handlebars of his motorcycle while Thalia rode behind him. Thalia jumped off and rolled to dissipate the force as Artie opened the throttle and spun to face where the giant had drop his sword onto a mountain of scrap.

Artie revved the engine and yelled. "NOW!"

"For Zeus!" Thalia pointed her spear at Talos.

Artie raced toward the fallen sword at full speed, becoming a shapeless blur of colors, as bolt of lighting shot from Thalia's spear. It could not have been better timed as the bolt hit Talos in his knee, forcing him down on it, just as Artie became airborne as he used the sword as a massive ramp. While Talos had been occupied with Percy, Bianca, and Grover, Artie had thought of a plan. While the metal skin was near impossible to damage, there was a chance that its insides were far softer. The hard part would be getting inside without being killed. With no time to think of anything better, Artie figured Thalia and everyone else could keep Talos distracted while he tried to shut down the giant from the inside. Barring that, he could simply start ripping at wires and flipping switches.

Just as he felt the motorcycle slow and begin to fall, Artie leapt with all the strength his legs could muster as he drew his Kopis. He slammed hard into Talos's face, the air forced out his lungs, as he concentrated on maintaining his grip on his Kopis that was buried up to the hilt just below the giant's left eye. He dared not look down as gently lowered himself to the hole his explosive arrow had made just moments before. He rolled inside just Talos slapped his own face in an attempt to swat him like mosquito. The force sent him to the floor and he paused to catch his breath, forcing himself to focus on the well being of his motorcycle rather than his sore chest.

He looked up and quickly examined the room.

The floor was shaggy with a wool carpet that had been cleaned in sometime, both in sight and smell. Wires and cables sparked as they stuck out in random spots on the floor, walls, and ceilings. On the walls were countless levers and switches, some blinking while other sparked and were missing handles. Toward the front, between the giant's eye, was a leather arm chair complete cup holders and little speakers where the occupant's head would be. Artie was at a loss on where to begin. None of the switches and levers were labeled which meant there was no guarantee if they would shut Talos down or activate his rocket powered fists. The seat might be the master control, but there was no set of controls or display and Artie had the feeling its was only there so someone could enjoy the view.

Then Artie looked to his left and rolled his eyes, "Oh . . . that was easy."

Right where Talos's right ear was, was a little red box labeled, **EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN. **He ran up and threw open the box. He stared at the giant red button the size of car tire that had a little sticky note that said in ancient Greek,

_NOTE TO SELF :_

_SWITCH OUT SELF DESTRUCT FOR EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN_

_SELF DESTRUCT IS A LITTLE CLICHE ON SECOND THOUGHT_

Artie breathed a sigh of relief at his luck and silently thanked the gods that he wasn't about to blow himself, and his friends, to kingdom come. He pressed the button and the entire box came out of the wall and rotated to reveal a laptop. The keyboard was dusty, but the screen lit up brightly as it booted up. A little message box came up in ancient Greek.

WELCOME TO EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN SEQUENCE

DO YOU WISH TO SHUT DOWN PROTOTYPE TALOS 1.0?

( Y / N )

_No!, _Artie thought as he jammed down on the 'Y' key._I wanna fight Godzilla._

ARE YOU SURE YOU WISH TO SHUT DOWN PROTOTYPE TALOS 1.0?

( NO NEED TO JAM ON THE KEYS BTW)

( Y / N )

"Okay, have it your way. " Artie pressed the 'Y' key again, gently this time. "Just stop this thing already."

THANK YOU

. . . . . . . . .

PASSWORD

"Oh come on!" Artie protested as he began to type. "I don't have time for this!" Artie racked his brain for possible password that the Greek god would use. "Hephaestus is the god of metal and fire, right?"

MTELRUX

. . .

(DENIED)

. . .

FIREFTW

. . .

(DENIED)

"_Caramba_!" Artie continued typing frantically. "You're not a big fan of Ares, but you still care about Aphrodite. Maybe that's the key?"

ARESSUX

. . .

(DENIED)

. . .

LUVDOVE

. . .

(DENIED)

"_Seu pedaço de merda_!" Artie slammed on keyboard. He took a deep breath and muttered to himself. "Your kids maybe?"

HNRYFRD

. . .

(DENIED)

. . .

DAVINCI

. . .

(DENIED)

. . .

BKNDORF

. . .

(DENIED)

"What are you doing?" shouted a voice.

Artie nearly slammed his head into the ceiling at Bianca's voice. "_Cristo_! Don't do that!"

Bianca looked sorry but asked again. "What are you doing?"

Artie resumed guessing passwords. "Trying to shutdown Talos, but I need a password." He spared a glance. "How did you get in here anyway?"

"Maintenance hatch." Bianca began looking at the switches, hoping one would be labeled. "Under his foot."

"You stood under his foot?!" Artie cursed as another entry was denied. "Why dose a god need a _caralho senha_?"

"Maybe we should try smashing?" Bianca suggested. "Keep ripping out wires and stuff till he shuts down."

"I'll just have to reroute the Olympus level encryptions, find a hole in the Firegod firewall, and upload a Hades virus to mainframe." Artie fingers became a blur on the keyboard.

"I have no idea what that means." Bianca looked to Artie. "How long will that take?"

Artie put his fist through the screen. "Exactly that long." He opened his bow and began firing arrow after arrows as sparks and steam flew everywhere. "Start smashing and pulling."

Together they trashed the control room in a matter of seconds. Steam and smoke began to fill the room and they were relvied with the smell of burning wires and metal. The room began to shake as Talos turned his head and moved his body frantically. Then Artie and Bianca fell to the floor as Talos punched himself in the face. Artie helped Bianca up as they both heard a giant metallic clang, only to fall back down as Talos began to run.

"Artie?" Bianca coughed as she tried to clear the smoke away. "We need to get out of here."

Artie looked around for an escape route when a small explosion separated him from Bianca. The force slammed him between Talos's eyes while Bianca was stopped by the wall that held the Emergency Shutdown Switch. Artie shook his head and tried to ignore the ringing in his ears. He looked and saw Bianca was only five feet from him as she stumbled forward.

Then the floor and wall gave way.

Talos's entire face had fallen off his head — taking Artie with it.

Artie tried to grab Bianca, but for the first time, he was too slow. "BIANCAAAA!"

He watched as second by agonizing second, Bianca and the rest of Talos grew smaller as he fell. Then he heard a giant clang before he felt a massive force as Talos's face crashed into something.

Then everything went black.

* * *

Artie groaned as he found himself in cave that smelled like burning wire and metal. It was a very small cave as his face was hardly four feet from the ceiling. The ground felt surprisingly soft as he realized he was laying down. He tried to lift his head, but regretted as he felt a bolt of pain shot down to his very toes. He could smell blood and he felt warm and sticky all over his body. Artie was trying to regain his sense when he heard a screech followed by a high pitched yowl.

"Guys!" called out a voice. "Tobias says over here!"

"Grover?" Artie tried say, but it came out as a whisper.

"Under here?" asked a voice that he recognized as Zoë.

"Yeah!" Grover assured.

Artie heard Thalia grunt with effort. "Come on, help me lift."

The cave ceiling went up and over. Artie tried to smile as he saw Grover, Thalia, Zoë, and Percy all staring down at him. While Artie could not see, everyone saw the son of Artemis was severely injured. His hair and face was matted with blood as was his armor and cloak. His left leg was bent slightly in the middle of his shin while a shard of bone stuck out of his right thigh. His arms had fared better, but only slightly as shrapnel stuck out of his armor and skin like porcupine quills.

"Artie?" Percy asked. "Are you alright?"

Artie tried to chuckle but it came out as a cough and he tasted blood. "You should see the other guy."

Zoë knelt by Artie's side. "This is hardly the time for comedy, Artie."

"Can we move him?" Thalia looked around. "I wouldn't be surprised if that was just the first wave."

"Let me see." Zoë laid a hand on Artie's chest and yelped. "He has broken ribs. Two perhaps, maybe even more. I cannot be sure unless I remove his armor."

"Can we move him?" Thalia asked again.

"No." Zoë looked unsure. "If we had some nectar and ambrosia, perhaps it would be enough to heal him. To move him, at the very least."

"Left boot, nectar." Artie tasted blood and swallowed. "There should be some ambrosia in my belt. Next to the sheath."

Artie bit back a yell as Thalia ripped off his left boot and Grover check his belt. Zoë laid his head against her lap and held the flask of nectar to his lips.

"Wait!" Percy said. "His thigh."

"You are right. It will not heal properly." Zoë looked down at Artie. "This will hurt, Artie."

"What's going to — AHHH!" Artie howled as Grover forced the shard of bone back into his leg. "_FILHO DA PUTA! CARA DE BUNDA! VOCÊ É UMA DROGA_!"

Artie would have continued indulging in Portuguese, but Zoë forced the flask of nectar in his mouth. He felt better as he tasted Chocolate Coca, his favorite drink from Rio, on his tongue and felt stronger as Zoë fed him small bites of an ambrosia square which tasted like the Chilean empanadas he sampled when he visited Santiago, Chile's capital. But after an entire flask of nectar and a whole square of ambrosia, Artie could not find the strength to stand up. However, it did heal him sufficiently to be moved without the risk of injuring further. Artie found himself unable to protest as Percy and Zoë lifted him onto Thalia's back.

"Ugh" Thalia grunted. "Come on, lets go."

"Wait!" Artie tried to gaze around. "Where's Bianca?"

Everyone looked to each other and Artie saw all of them were on the verge of tears.

"No . . ." Artie was finding it hard to breath. "Please . . . not her . . . if you found me . . . she has to be . . ."

"The sun coming up." Percy said, almost pleadingly. "We can still find her. Tobias can search the sky." He looked desperately to Grover. "You and Artie can catch her scent."

"No we won't." Grover said miserably. "It happened exactly like it was supposed to."

"What are you talking about?" Percy demanded.

Artie saw as Grover faced Percy, his eyes blurry and watery from tears. "The prophecy said, _One shall be lost in the land without rain_.

"If there's one thing I know." Artie said trying to sound optimistic. "You'd be surprised what you can live through."

But he knew they didn't believe it, as much they wanted to.

Even he didn't believe it.

Bianca was gone.


	16. DAM, DAM, DAM!

Artie struggled with the safety cap of a medicine bottle. "_Seu pedaço de estúpido_ . . ."

"Want me to get that for you?" Grover offered.

Artie wordlessly handed the bottle over.

Percy said nothing as they rode in the bed of an old pick up truck. They had found the truck at the edge of junkyard. It was just in luck as Artie could hardly support himself and Thalia was getting tired of carrying him. Once they carefully loaded the battered demigod onto the truck they all piled in as Thalia drove under a clear blue sky. Percy found the nice weather insulting after losing Bianca. He wanted to believe she was still alive, but he had the sinking feeling she was gone for good.

"Oh, gods." said Percy, his hand clutching the little metal figurine that had cost Bianca her life. "What am I going to tell Nico?"

"The truth." Artie popped two pills as Grover handed him the bottle back. "She was five feet from me and I wasn't fast enough to grab her."

"It's not your fault." Percy said. "I'm the one who should have gone into the giant."

"Don't say that!" Grover snapped. "The both of you!"

Artie and Percy looked at the satyr.

Grover pointed to Artie. "If you had grabbed Bianca, do you think she would have survived like you did?"

Artie kept silent. When he felt Talos's face crash, it wasn't with the ground. As Talos jerked around, his knee shot up and essentially bouncing his face like a hacky sack. It was then that the force caused Artie to black out which was a small blessing as then the giant's face finally collided with the ground, bouncing once before settling on the ground for good. Artie didn't want to admit it, but Grover was right. There was no way either Artie or Bianca would have survived if they had been forced to split the nectar and ambrosia. Even after all that, Artie was still couldn't find the strength to move and actually tired himself out trying to open a simple bottle of pills that he had the hindsight to pilfer from the camp's medical supplies only a day before he left.

"And you." Grover turned to Percy. "It's bad enough Annabeth is gone, and now Bianca. Do you think I could stand it if . . . "He sniffled. "Do you think anyone else would be my friend."

"Ah, Grover . . ."

"I'm . . ." He wiped his face which left his face stained like he was wearing war paint. "I'm okay."

Artie looked down at the pill bottle and chuckled reluctantly. "Appolonia would have gotten a kick out of this."

"What did you say?" Grover asked.

Artie handed the bottle to Grover. "Look who prescribed it."

"Doctor Gregory Laurie." Grover read aloud. "I don't get it."

"Appolonia loves this show called House MD. She has all the seasons on DVD along with lots of other medical shows like Scrubs and ER." Artie explained. "The main character's name is Dr. Gregory House and the actor that plays him is Hugh Laurie." Artie smiled grimly. "Get it? Dr. Gregory Laurie?"

"Small world." Percy commented.

"And here's the really funny part." Artie motioned to the bottle. "What's name of medicine?"

"Vicodin." Grover read aloud. "How is that funny?"

"Vicodin is a really powerful painkiller." Artie chuckled, though it looked pained. "In the show, House is addicted to the stuff."

The tow truck ran out of gas at the edge of a river canyon. It was just well because it was a dead end. They all piled out of the truck just as the tires blew which helped Artie a bit when he lowered himself to the ground.

Artie winced as his legs threatened to buckle. "So what now?"

They all scanned the horizon. There was desert in all direction, occasional clumps of mountains here and there. The canyon was the only thing of interest. The river itself wasn't that big, hardly fifty feet across with green water and few rapids, but it carved a scar through the desert. The rock cliffs dropped before them. Had he been by himself and able to move properly, Artie would have simply used his motorcycle which had survived the fight with Talos with only cosmetic damage and few dents. Even someone else drove, it could only fit three at the most and he did not have a side car attachment handy.

"There's a path." Grover pointed. "We could use that to get to the river."

Percy saw the little thing winding edge that led down the clif side. "That's a goat path."

"So?" he asked.

"Not all of us are goats." Percy reminded. "And Artie can barely stand."

"Don't worry about me." Artie forced a weary smile. "You guys go on ahead."

"We are not leaving thee in thy condition." Zoë said firmly.

"I've been through worse." Artie said. "Think of me like Rambo. Able to ignore pain, ignore weather, to live off the land, to eat things that would make a billy goat puke."

"Hey!" Grover snapped.

"Point is, I'll be fine." Artie coughed. "I'll only slow you down."

"No." Percy said. "I think we should go farther upstream."

"But — "

"Come on, a walk won't hurt us."

They all began walking. It was at a slow pace since Artie refused to lean on anyone for support. They tried to change his mind, calling hm an idiot and this was no time to be macho, but Arte put his foot down saying if there was an ambush he could cost them a precious second that could end their lives. They followed the river for half a mile before coming to an easier slope that led to the water. On the shore was a closed canoe rental stand, but they had failed to secure the canoes.

"Finally." Artie grunted as he swallowed another pill.

"You feeling alright?" Percy asked.

Artie forced a smile. "Learned to ignore pain remember?"

"Is it working?" Grover looked concerned.

"Not really." Artie chuckled at the Rambo III quote. "Don't take it personal. "

"Why would I take it personal?"

"Never mind." Artie shook his head. "Let's get a move on."

Percy left a couple of golden drachma with an IOU for two canoes. Artie watched while Thalia and Zoë put the canoes in the water and Grover refilled their water skins. Diego poked his head out of Artie's belt and Artie held him so he wouldn't be swept away as he lapped up some water.

"We need to go upstream." Zoë said. "The rapids are too swift."

"Percy can take care of that." Artie lowered himself into the canoe.

"Are thee sure?"

"He's usually good with water." Artie reasoned.

"Mind if I join thee?" Zoë asked.

"Be my guest."

As it turned out, Percy did not need to manipulate the current. When he looked over the edge of the boat, he saw a pair of naiads at the bottom of the river. He struck up a conversation and before he could finish his request, they each chose a canoes and began pushing them upriver. They started so suddenly, both Artie and Grover fell back in the canoes.

"I hate naiads." Zoë muttered.

A stream of water shot up from behind the boat and hit Zoë square in the face.

"She-devils!" Zoë went for her bow.

"Calm down." Artie said gently. "They're just playing. Plus, you insulted them when they're helping us out."

This time a naiad came out and planted a kiss on Artie's cheek before returning to the water.

"Cursed water spirits. They've never forgiven me."

"You'd think they would have moved on by now." Artie agreed.

Zoë did a double take at Artie. "You know . . ."

"Not the whole thing." Artie shrugged. "Apollo just told me you had a disagreement with your family because of someone you helped or something."

"Why would he tell thee?" Zoë asked.

"I didn't directly go back to Camp Half Blood when I ran out of the Hunters's camp." Artie rubbed his shoulder. "I just couldn't deal with what I was. I thought someone on Olympus could give me some answers. I found and managed to sneak into Athena's library."

"What did thee hope to find?"

"Anything." Artie said simply. "Anything I could learn that might help me make sense of everything."

"And what did thee find?"

"I found nothing, but Athena found me."

"I take it she was quite angry with thy intrusion."

"Actually she was impressed."

"Really?"

"It was really complicated." Artie nodded. "She said if I was smart enough to enter without anyone seeing me, I deserved the right to use the library. Something about self validating information."

"And you eventually discovered my past?"

"Just a footnote." Artie admitted. "Your name was crossed out under the names of the Hesperides. When I asked Athena, she told me to ask Apollo."

"But he did not tell thee." said Zoë. "At least not all of the details."

"I guess he would have if I had pushed, but I just didn't care at that point and went back to camp."

Artie and Zoë settled into a comfortable silence as they sped down the river. The cliffs now loomed over them on either side, giving the feeling they were inside the mouth of a giant monster. Artie briefly wondered if this how it looked from inside Charybdis.

"You were right." Zoë blurted out. "About everything."

"What?"

"I pushed Bianca into the quest." Zoë's shoulders slumped. "She was a powerful half blood with a kind heart as well, but she was still new to this life. I . . . I thought she might be the next lieutenant."

"But you're the lieutenant."

"Nothing can last forever, Artie." Zoë gripped the strap of her quiver and she looked older than Artie had ever seen her. "I have led the Hunt under Lady Artemis for over two thousand years and my wisdom has not improved." Zoë gave Artie a forced smile. "You were right about that as well. I did not want the camp's help. I was petty to argue thy presence at the counsel when more important matter needed discussion. And I was wrong not to choose a more experienced Hunter than Bianca."

"Would have it changed how your feeling now?" Artie asked gently. "There's a good chance that no matter who you picked, the result would have been the same as it is now."

"I suppose not." said Zoë.

"If it makes you feel any better, you were right too." Artie offered. "At least half right. I really wanted to make Thorn pay for what he did to me and Annabeth."

"But now thee don't?"

Artie shook his head. "I want Annabeth out of harm's way, but if I have to go through Thorn to do it? Well, that's just two birds with one stone."

"Will killing him really give thee any satisfaction?" Zoë reminded him. "It will not return what he stole from thee."

Artie settled on a quote from Sin City to get his mind off the pain for a moment. "Killing? No. No satisfaction. Everything up until the killing, will be a gas." Artie decided to combine it with another quote. "I'll stare the monster in the face as he screams to the Gods, and I'll laugh harder when he whimpers like a baby. And when his eyes go dead, the hell I send him to will seem like heaven after what I've done to him." He sighed. "But until then, I'm just gonna focus on saving Annabeth."

"You really care for her."

"She was a friend and more when I needed one." Artie smiled at yet another quote. "When Artemis claimed me, she was the only one that came looking for me when I ran away to live in the woods."

"But why not return to Brazil?"

"I wanted to go back." Artie looked distant. "But I wanted everything the way it was and that was impossible."

"Is that why thee turned to films?"

"What?"

"Everyone looks to escape from misery in one form or another." Zoë said. "Some turn alcohol while others find other ways of coping."

Artie sighed. "I guess that makes sense. I always liked movies when I was little, Jacob too. We didn't always have the money to go, but we always found a way to get into the theater." Artie chuckled as he wiped his eyes. "This one time, we actually went in through the roof and watched like bats from the projection booth." Artie reluctantly laughed. "We barely halfway through before we got caught. We were lucky to sit down after a week the tanning she gave us."

"You really miss him, don't thee."

"Every day." Artie admitted. "I guess you could call all those hours spent watching movies my personal way of mourning."

The cliffs on either side of them grew even taller, casting large shadows over the river and the demigods. They all felt the temperature drop from the lack of warm sunlight. Without thinking, Percy drew Riptide and Artie wondered why Zoë stared at magic pen in Percy's hand. He decided not to ask as he guessed Zoë would say it was none of his business. Plus, he didn't want to ruin the friendly moment that had passed between them.

Just as Artie felt the canoe slowing down, Percy announced. "This is as far we can go."

They all looked ahead as they saw the river was blocked. A white dam the size of a football field stood in their path.

They stood at the river's edge, looking up a curve of concrete that loomed between the cliffs. People were walking along it and looked to be the size of fleas. The naiads left with a lot of unintelligible grumbling which Percy took as they did not like this dam blocking their nice river. Artie watched as their canoes floated back downstream, swirling in the foam from one of the dam's discharge vents.

"Hoover Dam." said Thalia. "It's so huge."

"Seven hundred feet tall." Percy said. "Built in the 1930's"

"Five million cubic square feet of concrete." Thalia said.

Grover sighed. "Largest construction project in the United States."

"Named after J. Edgar Hoover, the first director of the FBI." Artie finished.

Zoë stared at them. "How do you all know that?"

"Annabeth." said Percy. "She liked architecture."

"Spouted facts all the time." Grover sniffled.

"So annoying." Artie reluctantly chuckled.

"We should go up there." Percy said. "For her sake, just to say we've been."

"You're mad." said Zoë. "But that is where the road is." She pointed to a parking lot near the top of the dam. "And so, sightseeing it is."

The demigods had to walk for almost an hour before they found a path that led to the road. It came up the east side of the river. Trying to ignore the cold and strong wind buffeting them, the heroes found the view enjoyable. On one side, a big lake spread out with rings of mountains around it. On the other side, the dam dropped away like the world's most dangerous skateboard ramp, seven hundred feet down to the river, and water churned around the dam's vents. Thalia walked in the middle of the road, far away from the edges and Artie got the feeling she not like heights. He quickly threw away that thought. Zeus was the lord of the sky, his children wouldn't be bothered by heights. Then again, it was a seven hundred foot free fall which would make anyone nervous. Then the wind blew past them again, but it carried a strange scent this time around. Artie began to sniff the air just as Grover caught the scent as well.

"How close are they?" Percy asked, knowing they smelled monsters.

Grover shook his head. "Maybe not that close. The wind on the dam, the desert all around us . . . the scent can probably travel for miles."

"But it seems to be coming from every direction." Artie turned his head as he paused to sniff again. "I don't like it."

"There's a snack bar in the visitor's center." Thalia said.

"We should eat while we can." Zoë agreed. "Let's find the dam snack bar."

Grover cracked a smile. "The dam snack bar?"

Zoë blinked. "Yes. What is funny?"

"Nothing," said Grover, trying to keep a straight face. "I could use some dam french fries."

Even Thalia smiled at that. "And I need to use the dam restroom."

Perhaps it was the fact they were tired and emotionally spent, but Percy burst out laughing. Thalia, Grover, and Artie all joined in. Even little Diego poked his little head out and looked cheerful.

Zoë looked confused. "I do not understand."

"I want to use the dam water fountain." said Percy.

"And . . . " Thalia tried to catch her breath. "I wanna buy a dam T-Shirt!"

"I hope there's a dam documentary." Artie doubled over. "Or a dam postcard!"

They all would have continued laughing, but then Percy heard a sound.

"Mooo."

The smiled melted off his face and wondered if it was just him. But Grover and Artie both paused and Percy they too had heard it. Artie sniffed the air and Grover looked around. Percy figured it had to be something monster related since Artie and Grover were sensitive to them, but then why had he heard it when Thalia and Zoë clearly couldn't.

"Did I just hear a cow?" Grover asked.

"A dam cow?" Thalia laughed.

"No," Artie said. "I heard it too."

Zoë listened. "I hear nothing."

Thalia looked at Percy. "Are you alright, Percy?"

"Yeah," he said. "You guys go ahead. I'll be right in."

"What's wrong?" Grover asked.

"Nothing." Percy assured. "I . . . I just need a minute. To think."

They hesitated, but Percy's friend eventually walked into the vistor's center without him. The second they disappeared behind the doors, Percy jogged to the northern edge and looked over.

"Moo."

She was thirty feet below in the water, but Percy could see her clearly. It was his friend from the Long Island Sound, Bessie the cow serpent. Percy looked around. There were groups of kids running along the dam. A lot of senior citezens. Some families, but nobody seemed to be paying Bessie any mind. At least, that was Percy thought.

"I could dance with you till the cows come home." said a voice in a strange accent. "Better still, I'll dance with the cows and you come home."

Percy turned. "Artie?"

"Well, it ain't Groucho Marx." Artie smiled.

"Who?"

"One of the Marx brothers, kinda like the first three stooges." Artie shrugged. "That was from one of their movies, Duck Soup."

"Duck Soup?" Percy still hadn't learned not ask Artie anything film related. "I thought the stooges were a TV show."

"It's a 1930's black and white comedy." Artie grinned as he quote a funny line."He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."

"Ughh . . ." Percy shook his head.

"Who's the cow?" Artie asked.

"That's Bessie." Percy told him. "I sort of rescued her the morning I left camp to follow Thalia and Grover. She was trapped and tangled in a sunken ship's net."

"She looks like she's trying to tell you something." Artie looked over. "I think."

Percy looked back at Bessie. She sounded urgent and seemed to be trying to warn Percy. She then swam in a circle and butted her head against the wall of the dam, mooing all the while. Now Percy thought she wanted him to come with her, but he wasn't entirely sure.

"Can't you understand her?" Percy asked.

"I can only understand predatory mammals." Artie shook his head. "Lions, wolves, and bears. Basically only warm blooded animals that hunt, though hawks and falcons sort of count." Artie shrugged. "It looks like it more of a fish thing to me. Can't you understand her?"

"No." Percy also shook his head. "Only horses, though I can talk with hippocampi and Pegasuses."

"Oh, that's right." Artie snapped his fingers. "Your dad created horses out of sea foam."

Bessie gave Percy one more, "Moo!" before doing a flip and disappearing under water.

Percy was considering jumping in when he heard Artie. "Hold on . . . something's close."

Percy felt it too, the hair on his arms and the back of his neck standing on edge. Together, Artie and Percy looked to the east. Two men were walking toward them wearing camouflage outfits that flicker over their skeletal bodies. The wind blew past them and Artie turned as he caught a familiar scent, a scent he remembered from D.C. With a screech of tires, a black van nearly plowed into an elderly couple on the west side of the dam. The doors opened and more skeletal warriors emerged from the van.

"Alright," Artie's claws sprouted. "How do you wanna do this?"

No answer.

"Percy?" Artie looked around.

Only a few feet from the visitor's center, Percy was sprinting for the doors.

"So that what it feels like." Artie said as he took off in pursuit.

Artie managed to slip through the doors of a closing elevator, much to displeasure of a security guard at the metal detector. Artie felt claustrophobic in the elevator with a large tour group, at least not one of them smelled like a person. Although one did smell like a demigod.

Artie tapped Percy's shoulder. "What's with the vanishing act?"

"Sorry," Percy breathed hard. "But those things are after me, they probably would have left you alone once you got away."

"Now you tell me."

"We'll be going down seven hundred feet." The tour guide said cheerfully. She was a park ranger, with long black hair pulled back in a tail and tinted glasses. "Don't worry, ladies and gentlemen, the elevator hardly ever breaks down."

"Dose this go to the snack bar?" Percy asked.

Had Artie been mortal, he probably would have chuckled with a few tourist behind them. The tour guide looked at both of them, but she seemed to focus more on Percy. Her gaze made them both tingle.

"To the turbines, young man." said the lady

"Is there another way out of the dam?" Artie asked.

"It's a dead end." said a tourist. "The only way out is the other elevator."

The doors opened.

"Go right ahead , folks." said the tour guide. "Another ranger is waiting for you at the end of the corridor."

Without much choice, Artie and Percy got out with the group.

"And boys?" said the tour guide. The demigods looked back and saw she had removed her glasses, revealing starling gray eyes. "There is always a way out for those clever enough to find it."

"Excuse me?" Artie asked.

The lady simply smiled. "_Cada hora feridas, mas mata um última_."

The doors closed with the tour guide still inside, leaving the demigods quite confused, Percy more so since he did not speak Portuguese. Before they could ponder what she had meant, a ding came from around the corner. The second elevator was opening, and Percy and Artie heard the sounds of chattering teeth and bones. Together, they both ran after the tour group, down the corridor carved from solid rock. It seemed to run on forever. The walls were moist, as was the air, and the air hummed with electricity and the roar of water. The demigods came out on a U shaped balcony overlooking a giant room that held the dam's turbine. They both looked around for an exit, but there wasn't one. Unless they wanted to vault over the balcony and churned to make electricity.

Percy and Artie pushed through the tour group as the tour guide talked about water supplies in Nevada, trying not make it obvious. Percy noticed Artie hardly needed to move as he drifted between people without so much brushing up against thier clothes, years of practice in the jungle he guessed. Percy motioned to the hallway at the other side of the balcony and Artie followed his lead. By the time they reached the other side, Artie noticed how nervous Percy guessed. That was the downside of a demigod's battle reflexes. It might keep one moving and alive, but it could get you killed if you had to hold still and wait. Artie may have had massive dyslexia, like many demigods, but he was grateful he did not share thier ADHD. That was not to say he was perfectly calm about thier chance of going undiscovered by the skeletal warriors. If it came to a fight, it would not end well as he was still recovering from having broken nearly every bone in his body.

Then they heard a _CHHK_, like the voice of a skeleton.

Without thinking, Percy struck with Riptide and Artie his claws.

The girl that Percy just tried to slice in half yelped and dropped her Kleenex which was good as Artie's claws just missed her nose.

"Oh my god!" she shouted. "Do you always try to kill people who blow their nose?" She then looked at Artie's claws. "There's something called a manicure, ever hear about it?"

Percy's first thought that he had hurt her, but the sword had passed through her. "You're mortal."

Artie lean a inch close and sniffed the air around her. "She smells mortal." Artie took a slight sniff. "Is that Chanel NO. 5?"

"Maybe?" Her eyes narrowed. "What's it to you?"

"My girlfriend wears it." Artie said.

"Well, she may like it when you sniff her like a dog." She grew serious. "But it rude for the rest of us."

"Sorry."

"So you are mortal." Percy concluded.

She looked at Percy in disbelief. "What is that supposed to mean? Of course I'm mortal. How did you two get those weapons past security?"

"I didn't — Wait, you can see it's a sword?"

Artie watched this tall, slim girl with frizzy red hair, freckled face, roll her green eyes at Percy. "Well it's either a sword or the world's biggest toothpick." she said. "And why didn't hurt me? I mean, not that I'm complaining. Who are you two? And whoa, what are you wearing? Is that lion fur?"

Percy thought back to how Thalia had manipulated the Mist at Westover Hall. "You don't see a sword." Percy snapped his fingers. "You see a ballpoint pen."

She blinked. "Um, no. It's a sword, weirdo." She motioned to his duster. "You might wanna do some research before you go to the Star Wars convention in Vegas next month." She point to Artie's cape. "See how his cloak looks like a robe? That's what you wanna go for?"

"Hold on," Artie perked up. "You've seen Star Wars?"

"I saw it on TV last week when they were running a whole marathon." She smiled. "The Empire Strikes Back is the best if you ask me. " She dipped her voice low and semi-robotic in an uncanny Darth Vader impression. "We would be honored if you would join us. "

Artie smiled at Percy. "I like her."

"Who are you?" Percy demanded.

She huffed indignantly. "Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Now are you going to answer my questions or do I starting screaming for security?"


	17. Every Hour, But The Last

"So this mortal?" Zoë asked. "She could see through the Mist?"

"I think so." Artie said. "She saw Percy's duster as a lion pelt and my cloak and armor. How is that possible?"

"I am not sure." Zoë admitted. "But it is not as rare as thee would think. I have many mortals that could see through the Mist to varying degrees, but I never learned how exactly how they could."

Artie gaze around and enjoyed the view.

It was pure dumb luck that the golden statues at the Hoover Dam had sprung to life when Thalia prayed to her father. One had scooped up Thalia and Percy while the other did the same Grover and Zoë. Artie felt perfectly comfortable sitting on the statue's shoulder. Hopefully they had seen the last of the skeletal warriors, for a while at least. The last they saw them, they were shrinking specks in the distance with the fading sounds of gunfire as the statues carried them up and over mountains. Artie wondered why Thalia was clutching the statue's arm so tightly. She could be afraid of heights, but that would be too strange for a child of Zeus, lord of the sky. Then again, he was the child of Artemis which was supposed to be an impossibility.

"Where are we?" Artie asked.

"We are in the Sierras." Zoë said. "I've hunted here before. We should reach San Fransisco in a few hours."

"San Fransisco?" Artie racked his brain for a quote and settled on one from Lonesome Dove. "Darlin', life in San Francisco, you see, is still just life."

Artie felt the statues sped up as mountains became hills, and then they were zipping over farmland, towns, and highways. Grover played his reed pipes to pass the time while Thalia and Percy talked. Artie entertained himself watching Zoë shoot at Target department store billboard, there quite a few of them, as they passed them at over a hundred miles an hour. But he was only visually occupied. Mentally, he was considering his own quest to save Annabeth and the prophesy's lines.

_Begin as you have and the daughter will be saved._

That seemed straightforward enough. Like his journey to Camp Half Blood and his quest to learn his Olympian parent, he was to attempt the quest alone. At least, that what he first thought. He knew now that there was no hidden meaning behind it. He had start the quest alone, but that didn't mean he would accomplish it alone. He was fairly sure that, though they're quest was to save Artemis, his friends were key to saving Annabeth as well. At least he hoped so. He was tired of going at things alone.

_Control of the beast within regained_

The second line had been misleading. While only a handful of people knew the true result of his time as a silver jaguar, the prophecy was not referring Lutar. The line had been completed when Artie had erased the presence of Leonidas from his mind. Leonidas had been a mad beast that finally snapped when Artie chose to rescue Annabeth over hunting down Thorn and killing for the death of his mother and brother. While Artie still felt Lutar's influence, he somehow found himself much calmer without a crazy spartan subconsciously controlling him.

_Vengeance taken and guardian freed_

While he had no idea what or which guardian he was supposed to free, Artie knew he would meet and fight Thorn again. Though this time, only one of them would be walking away from it. The problem was even he killed Thorn, he would just come back. The words of tour guide at the Hoover Dam echoed in his head. She may have spoken Portuguese, but Artie understood every word. _Every hour wounds, the last one kills_, she had said. But Artie was drawing a blank to the meaning. At best, she might be hinting that was away that he could kill Thorn and he would never reform, not in a thousand years or even a million, but he wasn't sure. He knew that monsters eventually do fade, but had no idea how or why. And didn't have the time to find out and develop a plan to use that on Thorn.

_The king of hunt the mother's world shall heed_

He was sure that the mother in question was Artemis, but he could only guess what the rest meant. Artie flashed to Orion. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Orion was the greatest hunter in the world and second only to Artemis, the goddess of hunting. As the second best, it could make him a king in the her world, among the animals at least, but it was pure speculation. Just like the second possibility of Artie becoming King of the hunt. It made sense in way. He was the son of Artemis. And, however unlikely, there was the infinitesimal chance that Athena might be so grateful that he had rescued her daughter that she might grant him immortality, something even Orion could not boast. As the immortal son of Artemis, King of the hunt could simply be a name rather than an actual title. Artie was certain that Artemis would have another child before she granted such a title to a boy even he was her first and only child.

Tobias fluttered down onto Artie's shoulder, speaking Portuguese in his mind. "_You seem to be feeling better_."

Artie smiled. "_I guess the nectar and ambrosia finally finished healing me."_

"_And Zoë seems treating you with some decency_." Tobias picked at something under his wing. "_Which is just as well. I thought I might have to claw that pretty face_."

"_Tell me something_?" Artie asked.

"_Yes_?"

"_Don't you ever get tired of looking out for me_?" Artie looked at his friend with curiosity. "_I mean, I haven't exactly made it the easiest job in the world and I'm sure Thorn didn't exactly help_."

"_I'll admit, I was severely tempted for the first year or so_," Tobias rolled his shoulders. "_but Lady Artemis appointed me as you watcher and I was duty bound to care for you as best as I could, despite the useless tears and tiring talk of wanting to go home_, "

"_What eight year old wouldn't cry and want to go home after his family was killed_?" Artie sighed. "_But I guess I was a bit of a whiner at first_."

"_That is putting it mildly_." Tobias's eyes seemed to soften. "_But you quickly grew_."

"_After you nearly ripped my throat out and left me alone for a week_." Artie remarked. "_Just because you wouldn't let me go into town just to buy some ice cream_." Artie still felt a bit bitter. "_Something cold and refreshing after nearly baking in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile during the summer and you say no without giving me a reason_."

"_Those five hundred pesos, a mere twenty dollars here, was the only money you had seen in weeks_." Tobias reminded. "_Money that could be used to buy much needed supplies or clothes, and you wanted food. Something you learned long before to acquire with hardly a knife and some patience_."

"_I must have missed the hiagen das herds in the mountains_." Artie muttered. "_You have any idea how scared I was? I thought Thorn found you or you just left me_."

"_I never left_." Tobias said, _"I merely kept my distance for a while_."

"_All this time, and you never told me_?"

"_You never asked_." Tobias actually shrugged. "_And it was necessary_."

"_Necessary_?"

"_For me to cool off and not peck your eyes out_."

Artie laughed and tied himself to the statue with some rope from his belt, asking permission first, before falling asleep against the statue's neck. To his surprise, he did not dream of his past, but that wasn't to say it was uneventful.

* * *

_Artie found himself standing in a large room with long tables that held science equipment like microscopes, beakers, and Bunsen burners. The floor was tiled with linoleum tiles and florescent bulb bussed over head. He saw the walls had see through cabinets and shelves holding more microscopes , empty beakers and test tubes, and thick textbooks. While Artie had been in one since he was eight, he knew he was standing in an empty classroom. And judging by the equipment and the scents of chemicals, it was a science classroom. But it wasn't empty. At the far end of room was a table, far longer than the others, and filled with lots of more advanced science equipment. And sitting at the table, gazing into a microscope while she jotted down notes, was a woman._

_ Artie slowly made his way to her, ready to run or fight at moment's notice, but the women seemed to know he was already there. "Long time no see, Artie." Then she corrected herself. "Then again it has only been a few hours."_

_ "Do I know you?" Artie asked._

_ "I should say you do." she turned around to face him. "But you weren't exactly collected that first time we met."_

_ This women was beautiful with long black hair tied back into bun and intense grey eyes behind a pair of reading glasses. She wore a long white lab coat over a plain black blouse with plain blue jeans and sneakers. While she may have looked like any science college professor or teacher, Artie knew better. This woman had the same intense grey eye that Annabeth had._

_ This woman was Athena, Annabeth's mother and goddess of wisdom and battle strategy._

_ "Yes, I am Athena." she said, confirming Artie's mental guess. "I want to thank you, Artie."_

_ "Not that I'm grateful." Artie said carefully so not insult her. "But what for exactly?"_

_ "For risking your life to save Annabeth." Athena said. "While I try not play favorites with my children, I am particularity attached her."_

_ "So am I." Artie said._

_ "But not like Appolonia?" Athena asked. _

_ "I'm sorry, but no." Artie shook his head. "She's more like a sister to me." Artie risked a question. "Why do you ask?"_

_ "I do not approve of my daughter's association with that child of Poseidon," The goddess said. "However, your mother and I tend get along quite well over the centuries."_

_ "You want me to date Annabeth?" Artie asked in what he hoped was not an insulting tone._

_ "I'd prefer it. In my opinion, you are a much better match, mentally anyway." Athena sighed. "But sadly, that is Aphrodite's department and she doesn't share my views on matchmaking."_

_ "I'm sorry, Lady Athena." Artie asked. "But what am I doing here? Unless you just wanted to thank me and tell me that you think Annabeth would be better off with me."_

_ "What do you plan on doing once you face Thorn again?" Athena leaned forward to catch his answer. "Surely, you have a strategy or two in mind?"_

_ "None that I like." Artie admitted. "And don't call me Shirley."_

_ "Clever word play" Athena remarked._

_ "That was a line from Airplane."_

_ "Airplane?"_

_ "The movie."_

_ "Oh, yes. Your mother mentioned your taste for movies." Athena regarded him for a moment. "But what do you mean, none that you like?"_

_ "If I do kill Thorn, he'll just come back." Artie said. "I don't want that."_

_ "Why not?" Athena asked. "He might not reform in your lifetime."_

_ "And if by some miracle I managed to live long enough and have a family?" Artie pointed out. "I don't want him going after anyone else just to hurt me."_

_ "And I assume you don't simply wish to keep him locked away." Athena guessed. "After what he did, I would guess you want the monster to suffer."_

_ "For every second of everyday." Artie told her._

_ "I might have just the thing for that." She reached into a pocket of her lab coat and tossed two small stoppered test tubes. "Here."_

_ Artie caught a tube in each hand, one was red and the other blue. "Please tell me if I take the red one I get to see how far the rabbit hole goes?"_

_ "Excuse me?" Athena looked confused._

_ "Never mind." Artie said. "Just a line from the Matrix, forget I said anything."_

_ "I kind of enjoyed that one, but the bit about learning dozen upon dozen of fighting styles by simply inserting a disc rubbed me the wrong way. " Athena frowned. "My children devoted their entire lives to developing those techniques. If they wanted the full benefit, they should have done it the old fashioned way."_

_ "Um, Lady Athena?" Artie held up the tubes. "What are these for?"_

_ "Oh yes, my mistake." Athena paused a moment to gather her thoughts. "While I'm sure you know this, but drakons have very thick hides. Even thicker than the dragons you used to make that armor of yours." Athena motioned to him. "When their shed their skin, drakons secrete a fluid into their blood so that when the new skin is ready, it is already rock hard."_

_ Artie held up the tubes again. "So one of these . . ."_

_ Athena motioned to the blue one. "That one contains that very fluid. Once it enters the blood, anyone or anything will have impenetrable skin."_

_ "Like Achilles?" Artie asked._

_ "Achilles received a similar gift from bathing in the River Styx,but it is not the same." Athena warned. "Unlike bathing in the River Styx, this will not make the host stronger or faster."_

_ "Oh." Artie felt a bit disappointed. _

_ "But even bathing the Styx dose not leave one completely untouchable." Athena said. "That it where that fluid is different. Once it enters the blood, every inch of skin will become diamond hard. Nothing can penetrate it."_

_ "That's still sound pretty cool."_

_ "But remember," Athena's voice grew serious. "The skin become so solid that the host cannot even sweat."_

_ "So if I use it, I can overheat?"_

_ "Like a car in the Sahara."_

_ Artie held up the red tube, "And what's in this one?"_

_ "Nectar." Athena said. "I believe you used the last of yours when the others found you after that Talos prototype fell apart."_

_ Artie pocketed the vials, wondering how exactly he would use them. "Lady Athena?"_

_ "Yes?"_

_ "Was that you at the Hoover Dam?" he asked. "The tour guide?"_

_ "It might have been." Athena smiled. "Why do you ask?"_

_ "She said something." Artie told her. "Something only I could have understood."_

_ "How can you be sure?"_

_ "It was in Portuguese." Artie repeated. "Cada hora feridas, mas mata um última."_

_ "What dose it mean?"_

_ Artie translated. "Every hour wounds, the last one kills."_

_ "A little dark, isn't it?" asked the goddess with a bit of amusement._

_ Artie shrugged. "That wasn't you?"_

_ "I do not speak Portuguese I'm afraid."_

_ "What now?" Artie asked._

_ "You wake up." She said simply. "I have given you all the help I can."_

_ "Thank you, Lady Athena." Artie seemed unsure. "But can I ask you something?"_

_ "You just did, but I understand what you meant to say." Athena said. "Go on."_

_ "If the gods aren't allowed direct interference, are the Titans?"_

_ "Sadly, no ." Athena looked annoyed. "We must reley and act through heroes, our children, but they are not restricted by such rules or rules at all for that matter."_

_ "But there aren't any demigods out there." Artie told her. "Chiron has all of the satyrs looking in every school in the country and we only just found two after almost a year."_

_ "Tell me, Artie." Athena's eyes gleamed cleverly as she spoke. "A common hunting practice is to wait by a source of water and wait, correct?"_

_ "Yes," Artie was confused. "But what dose — "_

_ "Then what would you do if you found all the water had dried up?"_

_ "But — "_

_ "What would you do?" Athena asked again, a little more demanding this time. "If the nearest source has been exhausted?"_

_ "Look somewhere else." Artie answered. "There's always water somewhere else."_

_ Athena smiled brightly, "Não poderia ter dito melhor!"_

* * *

Artie was jolted awake as he felt Diego nip his finger. "Mew!"

"We are here," Zoë pointed to the horizon. "Look!"

Artie gazed down at the city he saw in countless films.

San Fransisco.

It reminded him of Rio in a way. Big and loud like Manhattan, but more calmer and in tune with nature. It was surrounded by rolling green hills and fog. There was a huge bay with ships, islands, and sailboats. And with the Golden Gate Bridge sticking out of the fog the way it did, Artie wished he had a camera. He'd just have to settle with a postcard that said, _Greetings from San Fransisco, Still alive and wish you were here._

After landing, and scaring a homeless man away, the statues dropped off thier half blood cargo and bid them farewell. They were all somewhat relieved. They had reached the west coast. Artemis was here and Annabeth, Percy and Artie hoped, but they had no idea what to do next. And the winter solstice was tomorrow, to say nothing of the monster that Artemis was hunting that was supposed to show the way, according to the prophecy anyway. Now they were stuck on a ferry dock with little money, no friends, and no luck. They had a quick discussion and agreed that they should try to figure out what the mystery monster was.

"How?" Artie asked. "Unless this monster smells different from others, me and Grover won't be able to tell it apart from any other. And we don't have time to search the entire city."

"Nereus." Grover said.

"What's near us?" Artie looked around."I don't see any monsters."

"Nereus." Grover looked to Percy. "Isn't that what Apollo told you to do? Find Nereus?"

"The old man of the sea." Percy remembered. "I'm suppose to find him and make him tell us where the monster is. But how do I find him?"

Zoë made a face. "Old Nereus, eh?"

"You know him?" Thalia asked.

"An old boyfriend?" Artie winked.

Zoë scowled before answering. My mother was a sea goddess. Yes, I know him. Unfortunately, he is never hard to find. Just follow the smell."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked.

"Yeah," Artie asked. "Why do I have the feeling me and Grover are gonna be regretting havign such sensetive noses?"

"Come," Zoë said without enthusiasm. "I will show thee."

Artie began to follow when the wind blew past him. It was a gentle gust, hardly noticeable to anyone. But it carried a strong scent. Artie slipped his hand into his belt and brought out the stoppered red and blue test tubes Athena had given him. Part of him wished it was just a dream, but he knew better.

"Nectar and drakon fluid." Artie stared at the containers and repeated in Portuguese the words of the tour guide, sure it was none other than Athena. "_Cada hora feridas, mas mata um última_." Artie pocketed the gifts. "What did you mean, Athena?"

* * *

As it turned out, Nereus would have proved near impossible to catch had anyone attempted it, but Percy prevailed once he tricked Nereus into diving off the dock into the water. It also turned out that the monster Artemis had been hunting, Percy had rescued of the coast of Camp Half Blood the same morning the group embarked on their quest to save the goddess. Bessie, who happened not be named Bessie and was also male, was the Ophiotaurus. Zoë explained that the Ophiotaurus was an ancient monster that could bring down the gods if it was slain and its entrails were burned. It had nearly happened during the first Titan war, but Zeus sent an eagle to snatch the entrails before it could be burned.

"We have to protect him." said Percy. "If Luke gets ahold of him . . ."

"He wouldn't hesitate." Thalia muttered as she scratched behind Bessie's ear. "The power to overthrow Olympus . . . That's . . . that's huge."

"Yes, it is, my dear." said a man's voice in a heavy french accent. "A power you shall unleash."

They all looked up and saw they were too busy to notice they had been ambushed. Standing behind them, his two colored eyes gleaming wickedly, was Dr. Thorn, the manticore himself.

"This is just pairrr-fect." the manticore gloated.

He was still wearing his ratty black trench coat over his Westover Hall uniform, which was stained and torn from his fight with Artie and the Hunters in Maine. His military haircut had grown spiky and greasy. He also hadn't shaved recently so his face was covered in silver stubble. In short, he didn't look much better than the homeless people Nereus was hanging around. On either side of him stood those mortal mercenaries that Percy had seen in D. C. Two more stood on the next boat dock over, just in case the demigods tried to escape that way. There were tourist walking up and down the pier over them as well as the waterfront, but they knew the mortal would not stop Thorn from acting,

"Where . . . where are your skeleton warriors?" Percy asked the monster.

Thorn sneered. "I do not need those foolish undead! The General thinks I am useless, but I will prove my worth by defeating you myself."

Percy and his friends needed time to think of a plan. Percy had to save Bessie and he could have dived into the water, but he had no idea how to make a quick getaway with a five hundred pound cow serpent. And then there were his friends and the manticore's armed goons.

Thorn cocked his head. "Where is the boy?"

Thalia, Zoë, and Grover all looked to Percy, sure he had used Annabeth's invisibility cap.

"I was told he was traveling with your lot. Where is the boy?!" Thorn snapped. "Where is that antagonizing son of Artemis?!"

"He's right . . ." Percy looked around and saw Artie was nowhere to be seen. " . . . here."

Percy and Zoë knew from experience that Artie could slip away unnoticed whenever he wanted. When Percy first arrived at camp half blood, the other campers told how Artie could appear and reappear at whim in the forest, like a ghost. But once they became friends, Artie explained it was one of the many things he had been forced to learn in order to survive in the wild. It was a skill anyone could learn, provided they put in the time and effort like he had. In fact, Artie had spent so much time doing so, it had become second nature to him. During his first week, Artie had nearly given Percy three heart attacks in as many hours. Not wanting to see his friend constantly looking over his shoulder, Artie stopped approaching Percy, or anyone else, from a direction they weren't facing.

"No matter!" Thorn snarled. "I will deal with him in my own time."

Then three things happened in a matter of seconds.

First, both of the mercenaries on either side of Thorn went rigid and shook like electricity coursed painfully through their bodies. Second, the men in the boat were suddenly thrown into the water as a large net propelled them overboard, their weapons following them into the water only moments later. Third and finally, Thorn roared in pain as he staggered forward. The monster snarled as he turned his back to the demigods, two arrow shafts protruding from his back. They all followed his gaze and saw, perfectly balanced on the safety railing like the screeching hawk next to him, Artie with his bow.

"Tell me where Annabeth is and I'll finish you quick!" Artie snarled, paraphrasing Payback

"We shall see." Thorn growled.

Artie hopped down and collapsed his bow. "No, you will."

Thorn sneered, "Do you really think you can kill me? Bah! Last time you had a goddess to protect you and she preoccupied at the moment. There will no help for you this time."

Artie took Diego from his belt and Tobias swooped down to take him to safety. "The same goes for you." Artie opened his bow. "You guys take a minute to figure out what do with Bessie. This won't take long."

"I'm going to enjoy watching you die." Thorn threw off his coat and morphed into his true form.

Artie drew an arrow, "I won't."

Thorn charged with a roar and Artie fired an arrow.

Percy tried to step in, but Zoë held him back. "No, do not interfere."

Percy tried to protest, "But — "

"It is not our place." Zoë said firmly. "It is part of his quest. _Vengeance taken_, he must defeat Thorn alone for it to mean anything."

Thalia tightened her grip on her spear, "She's right, Percy."

"You're kidding!" Percy couldn't believe his ears.

"I don't like it anymore than you, but he has to beat Thorn by himself for it count."

So Percy forced himself to watch at Thorn and Artie fight to the death.

Or so he thought.

It seemed only Thorn was trying to kill while Artie went out of his way to use still very painful, but strangely, non lethal arrows. He fired bolas at Thorn's limbs, like he had with the Nemian lion, which wrapped around and tripped the monster. Or he would fire a solar arrow right in Thorn's face to blind him, forcing him to stomp around on a bed of caltrops he had laid down a moment before. He even went as far douse him in sea water, the salt no doubt stinging the little wounds, and electrocute Thorn with a couple of arrows that sparking tube for heads instead of sharp ones. Yet, all it did was just make Thorn angry. Percy couldn't understand why Artie was drawing out the fight. Sure, he wanted to see Thorn suffer, but it went both ways. Thorn's tail fired spine after spine, each counted with venom, at the young demigod. Artie avoided most of them, but not all of them. Even with his armor protecting him, Artie winced and grunted in pain as fought as a few spines managed to scratch him in the few places unprotected by his armor. Percy was also sure a good portion of the spines Artie's armor had stopped managed to prick his skin underneath, injecting him with more pain inducing venom. Artie breathing became labored as his limbs trembled, but not from exhaustion.

Artie went down on a knee, his arms wrapped around himself to control his trembling, and snarling in pain. "Last chance, Thorn." He coughed and sucked in a deep breath through his teeth. "Where is Annabeth?"

"Last chance?" Thorn gave a weary and slightly pained chuckle. "You are in no positions to be making demands." Thorn's tail flicked like a cat waiting to pounce on a dying mouse. "Look at yourself, you can't even stand!"

"Then come get me." Artie said defiantly.

Thorn paused for a moment, sensing a trap. "Seeing as I'm feeling a bit merciful, I'll give you a moment to gather yourself."

"If you insist." Artie closed his eyes and actually looked a bit peaceful. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

But it seemed the venom was too much for Artie. He fell to the side, his limbs trembling from the burning sensation caused by the monster's venom. Thorn smiled and walked slowly to the fallen demigod, savoring the victory. He stood over him, enjoying as the hero struggled against the pain.

"You can withstand much pain. I will give you that." Thorn pinned him to the ground. "But I'd imagine there is enough of my venom in your blood that even breathing should be excruciating."

Artie coughed as he reached into his belt and pulled out a corked red tube, "And yet you still lost."

"Mhmm . . . what is this?" Thorn took the tube from the demigod's weak grip.

"Mouthwash!" Artie barked. "You need it more than me."

Thorn slashed the tip of his tail across Artie's left eye, leaving a gash that ended just below it. "It would in your best interest not anger me more than you have." Thorn turned his head to see Thalia, Percy, Zoë, and Grover had begun advancing slowly. "Any closer and he dies." Once they stopped, Thorn turned his attention back the demigod under his foot. "Now, what is this?"

"It's nectar." Artie grunted.

"Ah, I could use a , what do you kids call it?, a pick me up." Thorn popped open and poured the golden liquid down his throat. "Mmm . . . tastes like half bloods."

Then Artie smiled. "You should have told me where Annabeth was."

Thorn would have asked what this demigod was asking, but the second he swallowed the nectar, he felt a burning sensation in his gut. It was slow at first, feeling warm and even somewhat pleasant, but then it began to increase until it felt as if was being burned alive from the inside out as it spread all over his body. He roared in pain and stumbled back, the slightest twitch increasing the mind obliterating pain tenfold. He knew he had been tricked and began to step forward, but the pain was too great and he fell to his knees.

Artie pushed himself to his feet and threw his head back with content smile spread across his face as he quoted Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, "For a moment there, I thought we were in trouble."

"What did you do to me?!" Thorn demanded, each word causing more and more pain. "What was in that nectar?!"

Artie ignored him and his friends rushed to him. He allowed Zoë to support him as weariness overtook him. The pain was intense, but he would gladly endure it the rest of his life for what he had done to Thorn. He had finally won, and exactly the way he dreamed of.

Thalia held a spear to Thorn throat. "You want the honors?"

"You can't kill him." Artie smiled. "I gave him diamond hard skin."

"You what?!" Thorn winced, the very words causing insufferable agony.

Artie held up a blue test tube. "Athena gave me some drakon fluid. Once its gets into the blood, anyone or anything will have skin as hard as diamond. Even sweat can't get through."

"Why would you do that?" Thalia demanded. "Now not even celestial bronze can kill him."

"Exactly!" Artie motioned to the arrows still protruding from Thorn's back. "Those were tipped with high grade manticore venom." Artie took a deep breath. "If a snake bites itself it can die from its own venom, so I did the same."

Grover asked. "How — "

"How didn't he feel it?" Artie finished for him. "He wouldn't. He'd feel a slight single at best. Unless he drank nectar."

"Nectar!" Thorn hissed, both at word and the pain.

"If thee drinks nectar after being poisoned with manticore venom, it increases its potency a hundred fold." Zoë explained. "Only in the fields of punishment could someone feel the same kind of agony."

"And the more you move, the more the pain increases." Artie finished.

"You forget, boy!" Thorn wailed in agony. "I have the cure."

"He dose?" Percy asked.

Artie nodded. "But he can't use it. All he needs to do is inject more venom, but he can't with diamond skin."

"You mean . . ." Thalia looked at Thorn in amazement.

"He is stuck like that." Zoë said. "In agony and unable to be killed by anything. No weapon will pierce his skin and, as a monster, unable to starve or die by lack of water."

Artie grew cold as he face Thorn. "That's why I'm not going to kill you. When you were chasing me all those years, its all I wanted. For it to end. No more running, no more pain, no more living with the fact my brother and mother were dead because of me, no more anything.." Artie pulled Thorn closer. "Now its your turn to feel that. Unable to end the pain and unable to die." Artie bared his teeth and his voice became that thick growl they had heard when he nearly slipped into his feral state at camp. "And when you gaze back at the smoke wreckage that was once your life, cursing the day you ever decided to come into my life, suffering for every second you stole from me and my family, then and only then, do you have my permission to die."

"Come," said Zoë. "We are finished here."

"Yeah," Thalia took Artie's weight from Zoë. "We don't have much time."

Artie threw Thorn to floor, watching him writhe in mind shattering agony. "I'm done here anyway."

So together, they walked away to leave Thorn to his punishment.

"Hey, Artie?" Percy asked after a moment.

"Yeah, Percy?" Artie sounded exhausted.

"Will Thorn really stay like that forever?" Percy wasn't sure if Thorn's condition would eventually wear off. "Even a hundred million years from now?"

Artie slowly nodded and settled on a quote from the 1958 version of The Blob. " Yeah, as long as the Arctic stays cold." Artie then silently prayed to Athena. _Every hour wounds, the last one kills . . . Thanks Athena and don't worry about Annabeth. I'll save her if it's the last thing I do._

* * *

_**A/N** - I'm going to be taking a slight break since Mark Of Athena is coming out in, literally, a couple of days. Plus, I doubt anyone will mind since I know I won't be the only one taking some time off._


	18. Riddle Me This And Riddle Me That

Somewhere between Zoë saying they needed to reach the Garden Of Hesperides before the sun had fully set and Percy sacrificing the Nemein pelt to his father so Grover and Bessie could reach Olympus safely, Artie passed out from the venom in his blood. Part of actually welcomed it, if only to escape the molten lead that was replacing his muscles. He was fully aware that his quest was barely halfway completed, he still had to free a guardian and save Annabeth, but his body had all it could take and then some and took his will out of equation. He did not dream or even realize, until he opened his eyes again, that had fallen asleep as Thalia carried his on her back.

Artie found himself staring into a white light. He had seen enough movies to know what that meant and tried to keep away, but he couldn't move. He was about give in when the strangest thing happened.

The white light spoke.

"Well, looks like he finally coming to." it said. "And here I thought I was gonna have to use those smelling salts."

Artie groaned and opened his eyes fully. He saw he was laying on a couch in a living room of a house. The floors were fresly polished hardwood with LEGO's scattered about. His ears caught the sound of purring and saw two cats curled up on headrest of the couch, watching him with mild curiosity. The air smelled of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and light jazzy played quietly from somewhere in the house.

Then he saw man sitting on the coffee table with a stack of magazine and a doctor's medicine bag.

Artie recognized him. "_Tio_?"

"That's Spanish for Uncle, right?" He smiled and spoke with a southern drawl. "Sorry, son. I ain't your _Tio_. See this here?" he pointed to a name tag on his breath pocket. With his dyslexia, it took Artie a moment to see it read , Dr. A. P. Ollo. MD. "That's my name. Doctor Adonis Perry Ollo."

Artie nodded his understanding, . "And I thought doctors didn't make house calls anymore."

"We don't." said the doctor as he ruffled through his medicine bag. "But I was in the neighborhood and it just so happens Mrs. Chase's two little boys caught a simple case of the sniffles."

Artie groaned as the venom in his blood had decreed he had ignored it long enough. It started off slow like usual, but it quickly increased and Artie found himself taking deep breaths. He remembered the painkillers he had brought with him and had taken after their fight with Talos. With trembling fingers, he reached into a pouch on his belt and found it empty.

"Mew!"

Artie looked down and saw Diego batting the pill bottle around like a toy across the wood floor. "Diego!" He grunted. "No!"

Artie reached for the pills but fell back onto the couch, his breathing labored and ragged. Diego noticed how much his master wanted his toy and nudged toward his feet with an apologetic yowl.

Dr. A. P. Ollo picked up the bottle and shook his head at the bottle. "Painkillers. Now that's a misnomer."

"What?" Artie grunted.

"A misnomer." repeated the good doctor. "It's when you give the wrong name to something." He shook the bottle and pills rattled. "Like these. They're called painkillers, but you have to keep taking them or the pain comes back."

"I can live with that." Artie held out a trembling hand.

"Hold that thought." Dr. Ollo began digging around in his medicine bag. "Now where did I leave . . . is that it? . . . no, those are placebos. Wait, if those are here . . . then that means . . . uh oh, he is not gonna like that one bit."

"Doc, I can't tell if it's too hot or too cold in here." Artie's breathing was rapid and sweat glistened on his forehead. "Scratch that, it's too hot."

"Aha!" Dr. Ollo pulled a small glass vial stopped with a cork. "Found you!" The doctor tilted the demigod's head back and poured the vial's contents into his mouth. "Now this is the real stuff."

Artie coughed at the bitter sour taste with just a slight hint of cola and lemon, but almost instantly the pain disappeared. It did not gradually fade, but vanished in the blink of an eye. His limbs felt soothed and relaxed like he had just had a deep tissue massage and he felt like he had a shot of pure espresso directly into his blood.

"What was that?" he asked. "I haven't felt like this in years."

"Sometimes ya gotta go old school. In this case, herbal." Dr. Ollo held up the empty vial. "It's ground up Valerian and kava root, echinacea, white willow bark, cat's claw, and bit of cola and nectar. The sugar and caffeine in the Cola go into over drive when mixed with nectar which results in instant relief and the rest of the herbs eliminate the pain completely."

"How can I thank you?" Artie asked.

Dr. Ollo smiled and reached into a pocket. "I've been meaning to give this to someone important, but we sort of had a falling out." He held out a gold necklace. "This means a lot to him."

Artie examined the necklace. The chain was thin, but made of pure gold. The ornament was made of bronze, celestial he was willing to bet, and he stared at it. It was of two masks, one smiling and the other crying, the ancient Greek symbol for the two sides of Theater. Both were symbols for two of the nine Muses and used exclusively during ancient Greek plays. Even today, no actor or musician in the world would be ignorant of their meaning. The smiling mask, Comedy, represented Thalia, the muse of comedy and idyllic poetry. The sad mask, Tragedy, represent her sister Melpomene, the muse of tragedy and singing.

Artie recognized it and was at a lost for words.

The last time he had seen it . . . it was hanging from his mother's neck in Rio.

"How . . . when did you . . ." Artie looked up. "Who . . ."

But the good Dr. A. P. Ollo was gone. If Artie had any doubts to the doctor's true identity, they were gone. Not only had this 'doctor' happened to have a very familiar name, but no mortal doctor toted around the perfect mixture of herbs to cure the agony caused by manticore venom. To Artie's knowledge, only two people knew that cure, now three since the doctor had told him. The first was Euphrasia, the centaur that had treated him when Thorn ambushed him and Tobias in the Florida Everglades seven years ago. The second was the god of doctors himself, his uncle on the Olympian side, Apollo. And Artie was sure the doctor's name wasn't just a subtle hint, using the word subtle as loosely as possible.

So he was supposed to give his mother's necklace to someone, but to whom? The doctor had said he had meant to give it to someone important. Someone he had a falling out with. Someone who the necklace meant a lot to him. The only person that came to mind was Artie's brother, technically his cousin, Jacob Gallezi, but he had died nearly six years ago to the day with his mother.

Artie placed necklace in a pouch on his belt, "I'll figure it out later." He scooped up Diego and gently put him into another pouch. "Come on, let's find the others."

"Oh, I see you're up." said a voice. "Are you feeling alright?"

Artie turned to see a pretty Asian woman with red highlighted hair tied in a bun carrying a tray of sandwiches, cookies, and Cokes on a tray "Um, where are my friends?"

"You're friends are upstairs in my husband's study." she answered. "You are Artie, right?"

"Yes, Mrs?" Artie didn't know her name.

"Chase." she said.

"Oh, you're Annabeth's stepmother." Artie realized.

"Yes." she nodded. "Come with me, I'm sure your friends would like to know you've recovered."

Artie followed Mrs. Chase up the stairs and down the hall to a room where he heard voices that seemed to be arguing. Artie opened the door for Mrs. Chase seeing it was the polite thing to do and her hands were occupied carrying snack that Artie was finding difficult not to inhale its contents all by himself.

"Thank you, Artie." Then Mrs. Chase announced to everyone in the room. "Snacks!"

Artie saw that his friends were all there talking with an athletic looking , middle-aged man with sandy-colored hair and intense brown eyes. It seemed he had not shaven for a couple of days and his shirt was buttoned wrong so one side stuck up higher than the other side. He also wore an old fashioned aviator's cap and goggles, but they hung around his neck rather than on his face and head.

As was his habit, Artie examined the room for signs of enemies, but he did not find any. He saw there was no place side as the study was wall to wall bookcase, each one stuffed with books. In the center, and really caught Artie's attention, was a table with war toys. Soldiers and miniature tanks fought alongside a blue painted river with faux trees and hills. Old fashioned biplanes hung and dangled on strings from the ceiling, tilting at weird and crazy angles like in the middle of a dogfight.

Artie was reminded of a line from Letters From Iwo Jima, "The United States is the _last _country in the world that Japan should fight."

"Actually this the Third Battle of Ypres" said the sandy haired man. "Japan and America were allies during World War One, but not for the second one."

"This is Annabeth's dad, Artie." said Percy. "You feeling better?"

"A lot better." Artie turned to Mr. Chase. " At midnight, I'll turn into a pumpkin and drive away in my glass slipper."

Mr. Chase smiled and responded. "And that will be the end of the fairy tale."

"Oh no," said Thalia. "It's spreading."

"What?" asked Mr. Chase. "Don't tell me you haven't seen Roman Holiday?"

"Sir!" said Zoë. "We do not have much time."

"She's right." said Percy. "Annabeth's in danger."

"Right!" Mr. Chase patted his pockets. "I'll drive you."

"Actually, Mr. Chase." said Artie. "It's probably not a good idea for you to come. Its too dangerous."

Mr. Chase frowned. "Now wait a minute, young man. Annabeth is my daughter. Dangerous or not I can't just . . . just . . ."

Artie sighed. He hated playing that card, but he saw no other way. "And if something happens to you? How do you think Annabeth will feel going on knowing you got hurt, or worse, because of her?"

"I . . . I, um . . ." Mr. Chase was at a lost for words.

"Trust me on this. I know what that feels like." Artie said gently. "Its not something you ever really get over. She might accept it, but she won't forgive herself and won't allow herself to forget."

"But . . ."

"Look sir, Annabeth was a friend and more when I needed one." Artie decided to pull back a bit. "Technically, they're here to rescue Artemis, but my quest to save Annabeth."

"Just you?" Mr. Chase asked. "But you're just one person."

"Mr. Chase, I may not be as strong as Percy or Thalia. I may not be experienced as Zoë. Heck, I know I'm nowhere near as smart as Annabeth." Artie said firmly. "But I never give up. I swear on the Styx, if by my life or death, Annabeth will be back home by Christmas and you two can watch Bringin' Up Baby like you always wanted."

Mr. Chase relaxed a bit, but sighed not wanting to admit Artie was right. "Alright. I don't like it, but you have a point." he patted his pockets. "Honey?"

"Yes?" Mrs. Chase poked her head in the doorway.

"Have you seen my keys?" asked the college professor.

She rolled her eyes, "Fredrick, honestly. You'd lose your head if it wasn't wrapped in your aviator's cap. Its on the peg by the front door."

Zoë grabbed a sandwich. "Thank you both. We should get going. Now!"

"I got it!" Artie exclaimed and disappeared in a flash, running down the stairs

"How did he — " Mr. Chase began to ask.

"Found them!" Artie reemerged and tossed the keys to Zoë.

Zoë dropped the sandwich she had been holding to catch the keys. Not one to let food go to waste, Artie snatched the snack mid air and ate in two large bites.

Zoë glared at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing." Zoë said as she grabbed another sandwich.

"Mew!" Diego popped his head out and sniffed the air. "Mew!"

"Okay, fine." Artie sighed and snatch Zoë's sandwich for the second time.

Zoë glared at him again. "Artie . . ."

"What?" Artie said feeding Diego pieces of bologna. "Hey, my finger isn't food."

Zoë rolled her eyes. "Never mind. Let us be off."

They all ran down to the driveway where a yellow VW convertible sat. With the sun going down, Percy and Artie figured they had less than an hour to find save Artemis and Annabeth.

* * *

Zoë weaved in and out of traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge with Artie following slightly behind on his motorcycle. Then sun was sinking on the horizon when they reached Marin Country and exited the highway. The roads became increasingly narrow, winding through forest and around hills and around the edges of steep ravines. Both Zoë and Artie did not slow, though Artie thought Zoë should.

While he knew he should concentrate on the road and Zoë driving like a Fury of Hades, his mind going a mile a second. He thought of Annabeth's welfare and hoped she wasn't hurt. And if she was, nothing that couldn't be fixed with some bandages, a hot meal, and lots of undisturbed rest. There was his mother's necklace and the task Dr. A. P. Ollo had asked of him, to say nothing of the last two lines of his prophecy. They hadn't run into any guardians or kings. Then there was the fact he had spotted the Princess Andromeda docked near the beach. That meant they would have to possibly deal with Luke's forces along with Luke himself and the General.

Speaking of the General, Artie was also considering what the General had said to Thorn in D . C. It felt like it had been ages ago, but his words were fresh in Artie's mind now that he had time to think a bit and regard what the General had meant.

_ I gave you a simple mission eight years ago and you failed. I provided you with an opportunity to redeem yourself and it took you four years with nothing to show for it._ The general had shouted.

Was The General the reason Artie was an orphan?

Had The General somehow learned of Artie's existence?

Did he send Thorn to kill the hero before he learned of his potential?

Artie admitted it was a possibility, but what was his motive? Artie was not a child of the Big Three so he could not be the one to save or destory Olympus. Yes he might be the only child of Artemis, but that couldn't be the only reason for the General to want him dead.

Then Zoë slammed on the brakes of the car, causing it to spin twice before sliding to a stop at the edge of a cliff.

Artie himself slid to a stop, squeezing the handbrakes and turning the bike so its side rubbed against the ground, and saw his friends pile out just a bolt of lighting obliterated the yellow VW convertible with a thunderous _BOOOM_!. Artie felt several something pound hard on the entire right side of his body and the sound of metal colliding with metal around him. It was someone , or several someones, had shot rocks and pebbles at him with slingshots. Artie looked down and saw small pieces of metal sticking out of his armor and motorcycle. Once again, Artie seemed to be lucky as his armor would not have protected him had he been a few feet closer. The right side of his body might a bit a sore tomorrow and covered in light bruises, but it was infinitely better than being turned into a human cheese grater.

Artie pressed a button on the bike's handlebars and it shrank. He quickly pocketed the small metal figurine and rushed to his friends. "You guys alright?"

"Are you?" Percy asked. "You got pieces of metal sticking out."

"I'm fine." He assured. "The armor took most of the hit."

"Where's Zoë?" Percy shouted. "Zoë!"

Percy felt something pull on his arm and Zoë hissed. "Silence, you fool! Do you wish to wake Ladon?!"

"You mean we're here?" Artie sniffed the air. "I can't smell anything but eucalyptus."

"Very close." said Zoë. "Follow me."

They all stepped in the fog, into the Mist, and disappeared.

When the fog cleared, they were still on the side of the mountain, but the road was dirt instead of paved asphalt. The grass was greener and thicker. The sunset made a blood red slash across the sea. The summit of the mountain seemed closer than it had been only a moment ago, swirling with storm clouds and raw power. There was only one path directly in front of the heroes and it led through a lush meadow of shadows and flowers. They had reached the Garden of Twilight and Artie hoped the giant lizard was not the guardian he was supposed to free. He was fairly sure that it would appreciate for a moment and reward with a quick death rather a slow drawn out agonizing one.

Now Artie had killed, skinned, and even in one case ate one, his fair share of dragons, but this one was frightening to scare other dragons. Its serpent body was a s thick as large booster rocket, glinting with glittering copper scales rather than the dark olive green drab the dragon Artie used to make his armor. This dragon also reminded Artie of the hydra he, Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson faced in Florida on their quest to retrieve the Golden Fleece, with more heads than he wanted to count or know.

If not for the giant dragon, the garden was beautiful. The grass shimmered in the evening light as the light caught the dew just right. The flowers were such brilliant colors they almost seemed to glow in the faint light. Stepping stone made of polished black marble led a round a five-story tall apple tree, bough glittering with golden apples. These were not plain yellow apples that could be found in any market that sold produce, but actual golden apples. Artie's nose tingled when their sweet alluring fragrance when he caught the scent, knowing a single bite would be the most delicious thing he ever ate. Artie saw that Percy had the same look on his face, Percy swallowed hard as he licked his lips at the sight of the succulent fruit.

Then the shadows in front of the heroes began to move. There was a beautiful, eerie singing, like voice from the bottom of a well. Percy reached for Riptide while Artie opened is bow and drew an arrow in the blink of an eye, but Zoë stopped them both.

Four figures shimmered into existence, four young girl that all looked very much like Zoë. They wore white Greek chitons. Their skin was the color of warm caramel. Silky black hair tumbled loose around their shoulders, much like Artie's or Zoë's if they did not tie their long hair back. That was when everyone realized these were the Hesperides, Zoë's sisters. They were all as beautiful as her, and most likely just as dangerous if not more.

"Sisters." Zoë said.

"We do not see any sister." said one of the girls. "We see four half bloods and a Hunter. All of whom shall die quite soon."

"Except for one, sister." said another.

"Yes, it would be a shame for _him _to die." agreed a third.

"You've got it wrong." Percy stepped forward. "No one is going to die."

They studied Percy critically as the first Hesperide spoke. "Perseus Jackson."

"Yes." mused the second. "I do not see why he is a threat."

"Who said I was a threat?" Percy asked.

The fourth looked up at the mountain behind her. "They fear thee. They are unhappy that this one has not killed thee yet." She pointed to Thalia.

"Tempting." Thalia admitted. "But, no thanks. He's my friend."

"There are no friends here, daughter of Zeus." she said coldly. "Only enemies. Go back!"

Now Artie stepped forward. "Yeah, yeah. We get it." He paraphrased Mad Max 2 :The Road Warrior. "Just walk away. We will spare your lives, just walk away." Artie growled. "Not without Annabeth and Artemis."

"Ah, the misbegotten child of the now disgraced moon goddess." said the first Hesperide. "You are quite different from _him_."

Artie flexed his hands, claws sprouting in anticipation. "Say that again."

"He speaks the truth." said Zoë. "Artemis must be freed. Let us pass."

The girl shook her head. "You have no rights here anymore. We need only raise our voices to wake Ladon."

"Tell me," Artie motioned his armor. "What this is made of?"

"He will not hurt me!" Zoë said firmly.

"No? What about thy so called friends?"

Zoë opened her mouth to shout, but stopped when she heard music, a single guitar to be exact. Artie heard it too, as did everyone else. It was low and baritone and though it sounded like a simple scale one would play to see if the instrument required tuning, it sounded beautiful as it was part of an actual melody. There was a pause and another similar scale followed, this one higher and seemed to continue the gentle melody. Then melody began with a sudden and quick kick of energy. Artie had heard that melody countless times and knew it to be Mariachi music. He and Appolonia absolutely loved it when Antonio Banderas sang it during the opening scene in Desperado. And to erase any doubt, the mystery guitar player added his voice to the music, his voice sounded like it came from all over.

_Soy un hombre muy honrado,_

_Que me gusta lo mejor_

_A mujeres no me faltan,_

_Ni al dinero, ni el amor_

_Jineteando en mi caballo_

_Por la sierra yo me voy_

_Las estrellas y la luna_

_Ellas me dicen donde voy_

_Ay, ay, ay, ay_

_Ay, ay mi amor_

_Ay mi morena,_

_De mi corazon_

Then a teenager emerged from behind the tree that Ladon guarded. Of course the music woke the dragon, but he did not seem to mind. In fact, once he had fully awoken, Ladon's head swayed to an fro as he enjoyed the music too much to bother eating the singing demigod even though he was right under the tree.

As the demigod walked to them, still strumming and singing, Artie got a good look at him. He looked to be someone just leaving high school, or entering college, with a lean build and deeply tanned skin. His face seemed familiar yet alien, like he was a long lost relative of someone he knew. Like Artie, his eyes were hid behind sunglasses, though his seemed brand new and expensive while Artie were chipped and cracked from his quest from Camp Half Blood. And also like Artie, the demigod had a slash over an eye, though his was long healed and over his right eyes while Artie's was fresh and over his left. His long silky chestnut brown hair blew free in the wind and matched a well trimmed mustache and goatee in color and luster. He wore a long golden leather trench coat over a clean dark shirt, fresh blue jeans, and combat boots. And though Artie thought the stranger was wearing gold watches on both wrists, it turned out to be celestial bronze gauntlets which did not seem to hamper his fingers as they delicately plucked and strummed the strings.

His belt buckle was strange, yet unmistakably familiar. It was the coat of arms for the city of Rio De Janerio. In the foreground a silver eagle, a symbol of Brazil's royal family, appeared perching on a sphere that was silver and blue with a white star. Written in the sphere was the city's motto in latin, _Recte Rem Publicam Gerere_, Conduct the affairs of the public with righteousness. In the background, the rock formation _Dedo de Deus _was red in color and was visible from the city on a clear day. On the outer part of the coat of arms were two stalks of plants. sugarcane on the left and coffee on the right. If there was any confusion to what the belt buckle represented, the words on a gleaming silver banner cleared things instantly, _Estado Do Rio De Janerio_.

_Me gusta tocar guitarra_

_Me gusta cantar el sol_

_Mariachi me acompaña_

_Cuando canto my cancion_

_Me gustan tomar mis copas_

_Aguardiente es lo mejor_

_Tambien la tequilla blanco_

_Con su sal le da sabor_

_Ay, ay, ay, ay_

_Ay, ay mi amor_

_Ay mi morena,_

_De mi corazooooooooon_

The demigods all stood dumbfounded as the stranger bowed dramatically and the Hesperides gave him a polite applause and entertained smiles. Artie could not help but strain his memory. He was certain he knew this stranger, he just wasn't sure how. Had he met him when he was running all over South America? Judging by the music, he could have been from Mexico or his parents were, but why wear such extravagant belt buckle of Rio if he wasn't from there? He was clearly was a child of Apollo, but most likely turned against the gods in favor of the Titans. What else could explain his presence here and the fact Ladon and the Hesperides seemed to welcome him with open arms.

"A most beautiful melody." said the first Hesperides.

"Yes." agreed the second.

"Who are you?" Artie demanded.

"Our father sent him to guard us." answered the third Hesperide.

"But Ladon is more than sufficient." added the fourth. "But he is quite the bard and we have come to enjoy his company."

The new demigod cocked his head slightly, as if not sure what he saw., and asked in perfect Portuguese. "_Resolva meu enigma e Eu lhe direi, Artie_. _Eu até permitir que seus amigos passar Ladon sem luta_."

"_Quer juro pelo Styx?" _Artie asked cautiously.

"_Juro que na rio Styx_." swore the demigod.

"What is he saying?" Zoë asked.

"He swore on the river Styx to let us pass Ladon without fighting him if I solve his riddles." Artie translated, his eyes never leaving the demigod who was smiling charmingly at the Hesperides who responded in kind. Apparently this son of Apollo took after his father more than he knew.

"Your friends." corrected the demigod, his voice carrying a slight accent."You stay."

"Alright." Artie frowned, not wanting to waste more time. He'd figure out a away later. "But in english."

The demigod smiled wickedly and recited. "There is not wind enough to twirl. That one red leaf, nearest of its clan, Which dances as often as dance it can."

"The sun." Artie said instantly.

"How did — " Percy began to ask.

"I heard it before." Artie said before speaking to the demigod. "Two more? These things tend come in threes right?"

"Correct. To the riddle and your assumption." The demigod nodded. "I have keys without locks yet I unlock the soul. What am I?"

"A guitar." Artie answered instantly again.

"You heard that one too?" asked Thalia.

"Yeah." Artie nodded. "When I was in school, I had a teacher and Jacob— "

"The final riddle." announced the wanna be Riddler. "Who are the two brothers who live on opposite sides of the road yet never see each other?"

"Eyes." Artie answered.

"Correct." said the demigod. "But will you indulge me in one more?"

"I answered your riddles." Artie reminded him. "You swore on the Styx."

"Yes and, as we agreed, your friends may pass." said the demigod calmly.

"Who are thee to say who shall pass or not?" demanded Zoë.

"The answer would mean nothing you, Hunter." He looked to Artie. "But I'm sure you would finding it quite interesting."

"I doubt it." Artie sneered. "Go on."

The demigod raised an eye brow and recited. "Like the Simon told McClane in Die Hard Three, you do not see. Like Rambo returning to 'Nam, you know who I am. But if Leia was Luke and Luke was Vader, what would he say to her?" The demigod motioned to Artie. "Solve that and you have my name."

Artie struggled with that one, but he knew the movies that were mentioned. The villain, Simon Gruber, in Die Hard Three had told McClane a lot of thing over the course of the movie, but what did this demigod mean? The line about Rambo was easy to decipher, Artie _did _know the demigod and quite well as Rambo was right at home in Vietnam. But the last line was confusing for a moment, even if about Star Wars.

"Let's see." Artie muttered to himself. "Darth Vader said 'I am your father' to Luke. But if Luke switched with Vader and Leia took his place, then he wouldn't say that. He'd say I am your . . ."

To say the answer hit Artie like a ton of bricks would be putting quite mildly. Artie began to hyperventilate, his breathing was abnormally fast and deep. He clutched his chest as he fell to his knees then to his side, curling up into a fetal position.

"Artie!" Thalia knelt by him.

Zoë checked his pulse. "His pulse is racing."

Thalia knelt by her friend and laid a hand on him, noticing he was sweating despite the cold. "He's going into shock."

Percy drew Riptide. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing." said the demigod in mock innocence. "He must have figured out the answer. I did say he would find the answer interesting."

"Explain thyself!" Zoë demanded as she and Thalia leveled their weapons at him. "Now!"

"Fine." The demigod sighed. "It's really the last line that means anything. In Star Wars, Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father, Anakin Skywalker."

"Everyone know that!" Percy snapped.

"Quite true." agreed the demigod. "But when Luke was born, he had a sister Leia. Both of them were children of Anakin Skywalker AKA Darth Vader."

"Get to the point!" bellowed Thalia, shaking her spear. "Or I will."

"Well, Luke wouldn't say 'I am your father' to Leia if he took Darth Vader's place." The demigod explained calmly. "He'd say . . ."

"I am your brother . . ." Percy whispered.

They all did multiple double takes back forth between Artie, shaking on the floor, and demigod with a taste for riddles.

"You mean thee are . . .?" Zoë's voice trailed off.

"Jacob Gallezi." said the demigod with a bow. "Artie's one and only stepbrother."


	19. Some Things Won't Change

Artie felt the icy sting of melted ice water all over his face. He began to cough and gag.

"Enough of that." chided a voice.

Artie looked up to see an annoyed Hesperide holding a bucket.

"Thank you, Erytheia." said Jacob as he took the now empty bucket. He looked at Artie for a moment before he returned his attention to the rest of the Hesperides. "Can you give us some privacy?"

"As you wish." They all bowed and shimmered out existence.

Jacob offered a hand. "Sorry about that."

Artie took it, noting Jacob was wearing bronze plated gauntlets. "Don't worry about it."

"Hey, you ever have maté?" Jacob asked.

Artie cocked his head. "Yeah. When I was in Uraguay and Argentina."

"Come on then." Jacob motioned for Artie to follow.

Jacob led Artie to a fountain that sat opposite the dragon and golden apple tree. It was beautifully carved from gray stone and black marble, with water flowing from the mouths of nine heads that belong to a Hydra. The water was clean and smelled fresh, but Artie wasn't sure if the water in basin at the Hydra's feet was safe to drink or even touch.

Leaning against the fountain was an old looking sack. It reminded Artie of the sacks used in old westerns, white bags with the symbol for money on the side. Jacob opened the bag and retrieved the strangest things, things that could not possible fit inside. A a cafe table with an umbrella that was quickly followed by two high backed chairs. Jacob retrieved an old looking wicker picnic basket on the table and noticed Artie staring.

"Just like Felix." Artie whispered.

"I said the same thing when I got it." Jacob smiled warmly. "Remember the song?"

"How could I?" Artie grinned reluctantly. "It was the only cartoon that the _teatro _played before the movies back home." He chanted. "_Felix the Cat_."

"_The wonderful, wonderful cat_." Jacob said,

"_Whenever he gets in a fix _. . ." Artie added.

"_He reaches into his bag of tricks_." Jacob finished.

Jacob opened the basket and produced a few things. A large thermos, a hollow wooden gourd, a metal straw, and some kind of ground up green herb. He took out tea biscuits with butter, jam, and honey to spread on them with high quality silverware and china plates.

Artie watched Jacob prepare the drink as he recalled the first time he tried it. It was when he unknowingly crossed the border from Brazil into Uruguay and met an old man living in a wooden cabin in the middle of a dense forest a several kilometers west of the Rio Negro. The old man took the young boy in giving a warm bed while he tended to his wounds that he was unable to treat.

It was when Artie woke up the next morning that he heard the tea kettle whistle. Artie assumed the old man was making coffee or tea, but he wasn't. The old man smiled at him and chuckled innocently at the boy's ignorance of the country's national drink. The ground green herb was called yerba mate and it was poured dried into a gourd before hot water was poured over it after inserting a metal straw, the submerged end was flared with small holes or slots that allowed the brewed liquid in, but block the chunky matter.

Artie found it bitter and strong, but found enjoyable once the generous hermit, Jorge he introduced himself as, adding a few spoonfuls of sugar. Together they enjoyed a small simple breakfast of bread, fresh cow cheese, and maté.

Then Artie caught sight of Thorn skulking just at the edge of the clearing that Jorge's yard and bolted, leaving before he could properly thank the old man for the food and fresh clothes.

"_Açúcar ou mel_?" Jacob asked.

Artie shook his head. "What?"

"Sugar or honey?" Jacob repeated in english. "Never really liked it so bitter like the Argentinians drink it."

"Sugar's fine."

Jacobs added a spoonful sugar and poured hot water from the thermos into the gourd before sliding to Artie. "_Saúde e fortuna, irmão_."

Artie wordlessly drank from the gourd and Jacob spread some jam and butter on a biscuit. Then he paused, the metal straw a harisbreath from his mouth. "What am I doing?" he whispered.

"What?" asked Jacob.

"WHAT AM I DOING HERE?!" Artie shouted, slamming the gourd down on the table.

Jacob sighed and rolled his eyes. "Is it obvious?"

"Where are my friends?" Artie demanded.

"They went ahead." Jacob took a bite from his biscuit.

"What?"

Jacob swallowed. "Well, I didn't give them much of choice. It was either go ahead," He motioned to the dragon guarding the tree. "Or Ladon here gets to see if three demigods can be split enough for all his heads."

"Three?" Artie did a quick mental count. "Thalia, Percy, Zoë, and me make four."

"Why would I want to kill you?" Jacob looked confused. "I wanna make you an offer."

"An offer I can't refuse?" Artie appeared suspicious. "How exactly how are you alive?"

"Alive?"

"Yes." Artie snapped. "Jacob, the real Jacob, died when I was eight."

"You of all people know should be able to figure it out." Jacob said.

"Figure what out?"

"What can manticore venom do?" Jacob sighed. "Its hurts so bad that its like being set on fire from the inside out times a thousand, even more when you mix it with nectar, but is it lethal? No, all the manticore venom in the world can't even kill an ant."

Artie gasped. "You mean . . ."

"Check out the big brain on Brett." Jacob fished in a pocket as he quoted Pulp Fiction. "Here, let me show you." Jacob tossed a golden drachma into the fountain that the setting sun hit just right to make a rainbow. "Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering and show us the night our family was broken."

Artie watched as the rainbow swirled and he was gazing back through time into the room he and Jacob had shared in Rio.

* * *

_**( EIGHT YEARS AGO -RIO DE JANERIO, BRAZIL )**_

_There were two small wooden beds that were so on the edge of collapsing even the most starving termite would turn its nose up at. The mattresses were just old futons that had been thrown out years before a merchant fished it out the ocean and sold it to Maria Gallezi when Artie had was growing to large for them to comfortably share the bed when he was just a small baby. At the end of each bed was an old looking chest that held their share of cloths with Artie receiving Jacob's hand me downs which were already hand me downs twice over. Most would find it strange to return to struggling to live in the slums of Rio, but Artie didn't. Yes the streets could sometime be filthy with garbage and money was hard to come buy, legally anyway, but it was home._

_Maria's job at a local bakery was not glamorous and it didn't pay much, but it was enough to keep her children and herself fed. Between the rent, feeding three mouths, and uniforms for school, Maria's salary did not leave much for anything else. Once every month or so, if the tips had been generous enough, she could afford to send her children to the local cinema to forget their troubles, but that was the extent of it._

_So naturally when Pele announced he would be signing autographs at the Estádio do Maracanã for one night only to raise money for charities, Maria could not send her children. Of course, children being children, there was shouting and arguing along with a good bit complaining before Maria sent them to thier room without dinner. Not to be denied, Artie proposed sneaking out, but Jacob argued against it. Like before, Artie lost his temper and left, not knowing the last words to his mother was wishing she was dead and telling Jacob he didn't need him or anyone._

_Artie watched as he guessed it was that same night. Quite some time must have passed because twelve year old Jacob was laying in bed reading a magazine when a noise caught his attention._

_"Artie?" Jacob called out as he went to open the window. "É você?"_

_Any of Jacob's other questions were cut short by a strong glove hand shooting out from the dark night and grasping his throat._

_"Tente novamente!" hissed an all too familiar voice._

_Artie watched Dr. Thorn bend under the window while maintaining a tight grip on Jacob's throat. Naturally Jacob try to cry out as he pounded on Thorn's wrist and kicked for all that he was worth, but Thorn hardly seemed to take notice._

_Thorn gazed around before focusing on the struggling demigod. "Where is he?" he asked in perfect Portuguese. "Where is the other boy?"_

_Jacob made a rough croak and motioned to his throat._

_"Oh!" Thorn's hand twitched a bit as he loosened his grip. "Now talk!"_

_Jacob sucked in a loud breath to scream._

_"Fim!" Thorn clamped a hand over Jacob's mouth while simultaneously retightening his grip around the boy's neck. "Now talk or things will more unpleasant."_

_Jacob continued struggling, knocking an old tacky lanp that stood a little close to the edge of the nightstand. Thorn took no notice until it was too late and the lamp shattered loudly on the hard floor._

_Suddenly footsteps could be heard running from down the hall._

_"Rapaz tola!" snarled Thorn and threw Jacob aside._

_Maria threw the door wide open. "Garotos, achei que dito — ack!"_

_"Oh, don't be too hard on them." Thorn said, lifting Maria off the ground by her throat. "Boys will be boys."_

_Jacob recovered enough to look up and see this strange man hurting his mother. He grabbed the remains of lamp, still connected to the wall, and drove it into Thorn's ankle. Electricity tore through Thorn's body and he dropped Maria. Jacob rushed to help his mother up, but he never made it to her._

_Something felt wrong._

_He looked down to see something sharp and bloody protruding from his left hip. His hand slowly touched the spot and stained his fingertips with his blood, warm against his skin and nearly black in the dim moonlight. As he looked down he saw another object exit from the right side of his chest._

_Maria screamed as Jacob collapsed at her feet._

_Thorn caught her just as she rushed to her son. She fought with all the force she was capable of and then some. She bit, punched, kicked, shrieked, and even used her nails like claws to reach her son, but to no avail. Thorn hardly seemed to noticed as he dragged Maria out by her hair, her screams and wails of protest echoing throughout the room and hall._

_The rainbow swirled and distorted the image._

* * *

Artie looked to Jacob, his hand shaking as he brought another biscuit to his mouth.

"But . . ." Artie began to say, his voice barely a whisper.

"Keep watching." Jacob said just as quietly.

Artie turned back to the image floating in the rainbow mist.

Two men wearing blue vest, red beret's and tan shirts with the Brazilian national flag on the sleeves were bending over Jacob. They seemed to be calling for help as one took the boy's pulse and the other checked his breathing.

Artie had often wondered, out of curiosity, how the mortals of Rio would have reacted to finding his mother and brother dead with the house torn apart and not a single sign of him.

Another pair of EMT's rolled in a gurney and quickly, but gently as possible, lifted Jacob and placed him on the gurney. Their hands were lightning as one strapped Jacob in so he moved not an inch while another slipped a bright orange neckbrace. The remaining two ran an IV while simultaneously calling for others to clear the way.

As Artie watched his old home swarming with police, curious onlookers, and EMT's Jacob spoke. "You'd be surprised what you can live through." He paused. "Well, not really you, but I was."

The image swirled again and Artie found himself watching Jacob strapped to a hospital bed. He had several tubed connected to IV bag filled with a rainbow of liquid. Though he could not hear, it clear that Jacob was screaming in agony.

"Like I said, manticore venom can't kill." Artie turned to see Jacob lower his collar to reveal a star shaped scar. "The spine would have killed me, but like everyone else my heart is on the left. And the other barely nicked a kidney." Jacob motioned to the rainbow. "They did everything they could, but they couldn't even begin to understand what was causing the pain so forget treating it."

"How . . ." Artie asked, not taking his eyes off the image.

"Now that might surprise you." Jacob waved a hand over the image. "Luckily for me, lots of satyrs come to Brazil. They're always looking for Pan and the Amazon Rainforest is usually one of the first places they look. He took a bit of a tumble down a small hill and some tourists managed to get him into town. He found me and knew the mortal doctor's couldn't help me so he called a friend."

Now Artie saw the same room with Jacob, but with two new people. There was a satyr pacing back and forth, his shoes and hat tossed on chair so his horns and hooves could be seen, while a red headed woman in a wheelchair examined the boy.

"Eurphrasia?" Artie's voice hardly more than whisper.

It was her. The same glasses that gave her a bookish look her thick red hair tied back as she worked over a table filled with herbs, flasks filled with liquids, and an old fashion stone mortar and pestle. Artie had seen her make the very same cure she had made for him when Thorn ambushed him in the Everglades along with countless remedies to counteract infections and speed up the healing of broken bones.

"Apparently the satyr, Stamatis, met her when he was checking out the swamps in Florida." Jacob explained. "Took her all of two minutes to figure out what was wrong and all of five to make the cure." Jacob waved his hand over the image. "From there, Stamatis, or Stan as he preferred, took me all the way to America. Long Island, New York to be exact."

"Long Island?" Artie repeated. "But that would mean . . ."

"Camp Half Blood." Jacob confirmed. "In less than two weeks, I lost everything. My mother, my brother, and finally my home."

"But why did Chiron never mention you?"

"You know what the worse part of being a child of Apollo?" Jacob growled. "Yeah, we're the best archers and best musicians, but a lot of us have the gift of prophecy. I was one of them." Jacob pointed to the image. "See?"

Artie turned back to the rainbow and saw Camp Half Blood. It seemed to be some time after Jacob arrived at camp because he was wearing an orange camp shirt and jeans with a bow and quiver slug over his back. Jacob seemed to be arguing with Chiron on the porch of the Big House. Several times Jacob motioned and pointed to Half Blood Hill as if something important was happening. Chiron shook his head and spoke with a calm, if a bit concerned, demeanor.

"I spent almost a year at camp." Jacob said. "Apollo claimed me barely a month in and thats when the visions started."

"Visions?"

"They were unclear and unfocused at first. I could catch pieces and clues to what I was seeing along with a whisper of a voice calling for help." Jacob grew cold. "Then they became clearer and I knew what I was seeing." Jacob looked his brother dead in the eye. "You! I was seeing you as you ran around the wild as Thorn chased all over the continent." Jacob thrust a hand at the image. "I begged and pleaded with Chiron and that useless drunk of a god telling them that my brother was alive out there and in danger, but they wouldn't let me leave." Jacob began mocking Mr.D "As much as I'd love to have one less brat running around, I'm afraid I would not here the end of it from your father." Then Jacob switched to Chiron. "It would not be wise, child. You could have very well seen the present than the future. There is no way tell either way and we have not a single method to go about locating him."

"He was right." Artie said reluctantly. "I never stayed in one spot for more than a day. Thorn wouldn't let up and I ran into other monsters too."

"I know that now, but I wouldn't hear it then." Jacob admitted. "Every night I'd have another vision and every morning I would tell Chiron, but he wouldn't change his mind." Jacob waved his hand over the rainbow and the imaged paused. "Until I had a vision of you arriving in a port in Miami. I'm not sure if that actually changed his mind or if he got tired of me asking every day, but he agreed to let me go."

"What did the oracle say?"

"_Forsake aid of any kind and none shall pay mind_." Jacob recited. "_With the strongest of oaths you will be bind. Despite enemies and events both shall unite. Against their true enemy, brothers in all but blood shall fight."_

"I don't understand."

"Like you, the first line meant I had go alone or monsters would attack left and right." Jacob explained. "The second line meant this." Jacob motioned to the image again. "Turns out Chiron was right. The vision I had about you and Thorn in Florida was one year too early."

Artie turned back to iris message and saw Jacob walking through the everglades.

* * *

**(SIX YEARS AGO - EVERGLADES, NORTHERN FLORIDA)**

He was covered in mud as he waded through water up to his knees. His orange camp shirt clashed horribly with brown and green of the environment and Artie noticed he was wearing the same golden leather trench coat, stained with mud and wet in several places, along with the same bronze gauntlets he wore now. Instead of a bow and quiver, Jacob had a curved celestial bronze knife in each hand. He was about to ask what child of Apollo preferred close combat with knives to ranged with a bow and arrow when two figures emerged when Jacob bent to drink from a creek.

The two figures were eight feet tall, wearing nothing but blue jeans. The rest of them were covered by shag-carpeted thick brown fur. They both had claws for fingers, a snout for a nose, and all their teeth being pointed canines. Both of them carried a javelin in hand and wicked looking knives at their waist.

Artie said nothing as the bear twins attacked, Argrius charged while Oreius threw his javelin. Jacob dived out of the way and landed into a roll just as Argrius buried the javelin's head into the dirt where had been standing. Jacob drew himself up and threw both of his knives.

As they flew in the air, spinning perpendicular to the direction it was heading, Artie saw they weren't knives, but sharpened celestial bronze boomerangs. As the bear twin scrambled for cover, Jacob threw open his trench coat to reveal half a dozen more deadly projectiles. He drew two in each hand and threw them as well, but Artie saw the drawback.

Each and every boomerang collided with a tree trunk or was slowed when it cut through foliage and branches.

Agrius and Oreius looked around and saw they had the advantage and slowly advanced. Then Jacob thrust out his hands and two boomerang that had been brought to a dead stop by a tree flew back to him like a bullet, not bothering to go around the bear twins.

The twins looked down and saw the holes left by the boomerang before collapsing into gold dust.

* * *

"I never returned to Camp Half Blood so Chiron naturally assumed I died and I doubt he wanted to tell that your only brother survived only to die on a quest to save you." Then Jacob severed the connection. "I spent a month looking for you and killing anything that got in my way, but I couldn't speed up time."

"So you gave up?"

"No!" Jacob snapped. "Never! I never gave up!"

"But . . ."

"Someone spoke to me one night. He told me all about you. How you were the child of Artemis and it was your scent that brought Thorn."

"I . . .uh, . . . um." Artie wasn't sure how to respond.

"I told him it wasn't your fault and you know what? He agreed." Jacob pointed to him. "It was your mother! That sexist goddess, Artemis."

"The voice you heard, it was the General wasn't it?" Artie asked.

"Yes." said Jacob. "He promised me everything I wanted. You and me would be back together. Thorn punished along with Artemis and Apollo."

"Apollo?" Artie asked. "What did he do?"

"Nothing! He did nothing!" Jacob snapped. "He and Artemis just sat back and watched while our mother was killed and we were seperated thinking the other was dead without lifting a finger to help."

"So you sided with the Titans." Artie concluded.

"And you sided with the gods." Jacob countered.

"Why?!" Jacob demanded.

"Because I don't have choice." Artie said simply.

"Yes, you do." Jacob assured. "Join us and stop being a pawn for the gods."

"Whereas being a pawn for the Titans is better?" Artie frowned. "You said Artemis and Apollo just sat back an watched? Well, what did the Titans do? The same thing, nothing!"

"They're helping us now." Jacob answered.

"And so are the gods." Artie opened his arms to show his armor and weapons. "Do you think I just walked into a store and bought this? No, Artemis convinced Hephaestus to give one of his children enough moonsilver to make this armor. This cloak and Kopis? She gave it to me because she thought 'I might need it'. Either way, they're using us to get what they want."

"Then why help them?"

"I'm not."

"Could have fooled me."

"What did the General tell you?" Artie challenged. "That I was part of the quest to rescue Artemis?"

"Aren't you?"

"No. That was they're quest. My quest was to save Annabeth."

"The blond girl?"

"Yes." Artie said. "Do you want to know what I think about this little fight between the gods and Titans? I couldn't care less. At the end of it all, nothing is going to change. Let them kill each other over the earth."

"Then why help them?" Jacob asked again.

"Because a fight between them would get the few people I still care about killed." Artie answered. "That's why I'm helping the gods. The gods may ignore us, but that's a lot better than being the Titans' playthings if they win."

"But the General promised our mother back." Jacob told him. "Imagine it! You, her, and me together like we should be."

"It won't be the same." Artie shook his head. "Look at yourself. Look at me. As much as I hate to say it, Artemis was right. Things can't go back to the way they were. We've changed too much. We've seen too much."

"What are you saying?"

"That the sons of Maria Gallezi died with her that night eight years ago." Artie paused. "So I'm not going to join you and the Titans."

"So you're picking your friends over your only brother?"

"No." Artie held a hand. "You're coming with me."

"I don't understand."

"Did you swear on the Styx to serve the Titans?"

"Not exactly."

"What were your exact words?"

"I swear on the river Styx to serve the Titans until Thorn pays for what he did along with those responsible."

Artie smiled and held out a hand. "That was the second part of your prophecy, _With the strongest of oaths you will be bind._"

"I know that." Jacob looked tempted to take his brother's hand. "But the General said I had to wait until Thorn stops being useful."

"I swear on the Styx, Jacob, not only he can't be used, but he's paying for what he did to us as we speak." Artie recited. "_Vengeance taken and guardian freed_, that was the third line of my prophecy. I took care of Thorn and now I'm here to free you, the _guardian_ that the General appointed to the Hesperides."

"But . . ."

"Just because you gave up on your quest doesn't mean the quest gave up on you." Artie said, his hand still out. "_Despite enemies and events both shall unite._ The gods and Titans have kept us apart long enough, _irmão_."

Jacob reached for his brother's hand, but pulled back. He shook his head as tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "I can't! Thorn and Artemis were only half of it."

"You swore to serve until Thorn and the ones responsible were punished." Artie reminded. "Thorn is taken care of, but there is still the General and I can't fight him alone."

"The General?" Jacob repeated.

"Remember what I said about being used by either side?" Artie asked. "When I was in D.C. I caught the General yelling at Thorn for screwing up."

"He's always doing that."

"He said he gave Thorn a mission _eight_ years ago. When he failed that, the General gave him a second chance which took him _four _years with nothing to show for it." Artie then quoted the General verbatim. "_I will choose lieutenants who get me results! Not ones who retreat when their target if half dead."_

Jacob fell to his knees and held his head. "_Oh meus deuses. Todo esse tempo. . . que era ele. . . e eu nunca pensei. . . ele estava me usando . . _."

"I know." Artie knelt and embraced him tightly as he could without hurting him. "It took me forever to figure it out, but now I'm almost sure he sent Thorn."

"But why?" Jacob sniffed. "What could we do to them? We're not children of the Big Three. We can't decide the fate of Olympus."

"I have no idea." Artie stood up and brought his brother with him. "But I'm gonna find out." Artie wiped Jacob's eyes. "Are you going to help me?"

"You can't beat the General." Jacob protested. "No one can."

"Do you know what Artemis said to me after Thorn nearly killed me in Florida? As I stumbled around in the forest?" Artie smiled grimly. "Show me only the gods themselves can stop you."

"I don't understand."

"If I asked the General if he is a god, what would he say?"

"No."

"Then we should be fine." Artie chuckled reluctantly. "Since he hasn't seen Ghostbusters."

"What?" Jacob cocked his head. "You lost me."

Artie smirked. "When someone asks you if you're a god, you say 'yes'."

"Oh, that." Jacob chuckled reluctantly. "Its been a while."

"Once all of this is over, we are having a movie marathon." Artie promised. "Just you, me, my DVD collection and we're not stopping until we run out popcorn."

"I'd like that." Jacob looked up at the summit. "I'd like that a lot."

"But first we have to get up there, beat the General, free Artemis and Annabeth. And we need to hurry."

"Yeah, the whole winter solstice thing." Jacob asked. "Why is it always before the solstice?"

"No, we need to hurry so I can make back to Miami before Christmas." Artie said.

"Why Miami?"

"Let's just say I have a better chance of surviving a fight with a Titan than I do if Appolonia is mad at me." Artie smiled. "Tartarus hath no fury like a women scorned."

* * *

_**A/N**_ - _Sorry for such a long time between updates. Apparently Hurricane Sandy thought that me, and a large portion of NY, should return to the times of reading by candle light and cold showers. Plus the snowstorm a week later didn't exactly speed things up. So I'm back with power and internet and hopefully I can get back into the swing of things._


	20. Cutting Loose

"Let Artemis go!" Zoë demanded.

Atlas, her father, walked to the chained goddess holding up the sky. "Perhaps you would like to take the sky for her? Be my guest."

Zoë opened her mouth to speak, but Artemis shouted. "No! Do not offer, Zoë! I forbid you."

"Hoo-hoo" Atlas smirked. " See daughter? Lady Artemis likes her new job. I believe I'll have the Olympians take turn bearing my burden to teach them some humility."

Percy looked to Annabeth, her mouth gagged. She was motioned to Luke who stood to her side, but all he could do was stare at her. He hadn't noticed before, but something was different about his friend. Her blonde hair had a gray streak. It wasn't like Artie's that shone in the right light, but it was clearly stress induced.

"From holding the sky." Thalia muttered as if reading her friend's mind. "The weight should've killed her."

"I don't understand." said Percy. "Why doesn't Artemis just let go of the sky?"

Atlas laughed. "How little you understand, young one. This is the spot where the sky and ground first met, where Ouranos and Gaea brought forth their children, the mighty Titans. The sky yearns to embrace the earth and someone must keep it at bay. Otherwise it would crush down upon this place, crushing the mountain, and everything within a hundred leagues. Once you have taken up the burden, there is no escape." Atlas smiled. "Unless someone agrees to take it from you."

Atlas approached, studying Thalia and Percy. "So these are the greatest heroes of the age, eh? Not much of challenge."

"Fight us and find out" said Percy.

"Have the gods taught you nothing?!" Atlas snapped. "An immortal dose not fight a mere mortal directly. It is beneanth our dignity. I will have Luke crush you instead." He looked Luke over and frowned. "On second thought, perhaps I will have my newest recruit deal with you."

"New recruit?" Percy asked.

"Yes," Atlas grinned. "The first and only child of the moon goddess will make a fine addition. He won't even have to be trained. All that time in the wild fending for himself? Genius!" Atlas turn to grin at Artemis. "I'll have you to thank for that, my dear."

"Artie would never join you" Percy said.

"He has spent the last eight years honing an axe against her." Atlas pointed to Artemis. "The god who callously created him only to toss him into the wild to fend for himself. Not only watching as the boy, her first and only child, struggled day to day to survive, but allowing him to think he was the cause of his family's death. The same goddess that intentionally kept him the dark about his brothers survival." Atlas smiled wickedly. "I'd sooner take up the sky again than be wrong about him." Atlas tilted his head. "Ah, I think that's them now."

It was true. Like before, they heard the sound of guitar being played, slowly become louder and clearer. They were sure it was Jacob again, but it wasn't mariachi music. If Percy had to place it, it was a country song and would be right at home in one of Artie's westerns.

_ There was a boy from Rio and in the wild he roamed_

_ At first he was defenseless, but then he called it home_

_ With his wits and his body, he outran all his foes._

_ Revenge for his family was what he thought was owed._

_ Oh the mooooon, Yes the moooooon._

_ Beware all monsters._

_ The son of the moon._

Percy looked to Thalia. "Please tell me I'm just hearing things."

Thalia looked just as confused. "I wish I could."

"Strange." Zoë titled her head. "I think I hear drums as well . . . no, not drum but a deep pounding. As if something large is coming closer."

"Yeah." Thalia closed her eyes. "I hear it too."

Percy closed his eyes as well, but all he could hear was the sound of a guitar and Jacob's marvelous voice as he continued singing. Then just as Jacob's voice grew louder, Percy heard the pounding. He knew from Tyson and Polyphemus running towards him, a sound that deep meant something huge and most likely lethal was getting closer. He hoped Artie was alright. Then another thought came to him. If Atlas was right and Artie joined the Titans, it might not be such a good thing.

_ He'll fight the vilest villains too numerous to list._

_ Rendering his verdict with a blinding clawed fist._

_ He'll descend from the night sky just to make his new cape flow_

_ Those who opposed him deserved the arrows he would throw._

_ Oh the mooooon, Yes the moooooon._

_ Beware all monsters._

_ The son of the moon._

Then they came into view.

All three of them.

Artie and Jacob both came into view just as half a dozen of Ladon's heads did. Jacob was playing an electric guitar that looked like bright shining sun and Percy knew it was the same one Apollo had given him and shrank down to a pocket watch. Each brother sat on a head which Ladon did not seem to mind. In fact, some swayed gently as Jacob sang while others lazily opened their mouths for Artie to throw pieces of jerky into. Everyone stared in awe at the two demigods. Together, they had not only freed Ladon from protecting his tree, but they had done tamed him. Something only Artemis was capable of.

_ But beneath it all was just boy, same as you or me._

_ His true woe he could never share, he was burdened so heavily._

_ But why endure such a lone crusade? Fight a fight you just can't win?_

_ If asked the boy would tell you, someone gotta stand up to all this sin._

_ Oh the mooooon, Yes the moooooon._

_ Beware all monsters._

_ The son of the moon._

Jacob finished with a short but masterful solo and handed the guitar back to his brother who shrank it down and pocketed the watch. "That reminds me." Artie fished a necklace and handed it to Jacob. "Here."

Jacob stared at the necklace in awe. "How . . . how did you get this?"

"Um, uh . . . " Artie scrambled for an answer. "I'll explain later."

"I'd hate to break the touching reunion." said Atlas. "On second thought, no I don't. "What is going on?" He turned to Jacob. "Explain!"

"Allow me." Artie tapped Ladon gently and slid down in front of Atlas. "I just told Jacob who was really responsible for what happened to us when we were little., why I was forced to live like an animal while he was tortured with nightmares and visions of Thorn killing me and his mother." Artie looked up at Atlas who was nearly a foot taller and ten times as muscular. "I've said for years that Artemis would have made things alot easier if she just left me on Camp Half Blood's doorstep, but you're the real cause of it."

"Please, go on." Atlas grinned but folded his arms over his chest. "I'd love to hear how you came to this."

"Artie?" asked Zoë. "What are thee saying?"

"Atlas sent Thorn after me." Artie said firmly staring directly as the Titan. "I don't know why or how he even knew about me, but he sent Thorn to kill me and Jacob and his mother got in the way. Once I got to Camp Half Blood, he pulled Thorn back otherwise we would have run into him when Percy returned the master bolt." Artie's gazed to Jacob for a moment. "But you changed your mind, didn't you. If I could somehow survive all that then maybe I could be useful. So you recruited Jacob and waited so when we finally met again, I'd join the Titans."

Atlas grinned then howled with laughter, so loud and deep it sounded like thunder. "I suppose you wish to know why."

"No." Artie said flatly. "and I don't care."

"Then tell me boy." Atlas considered the boy in front of him. "What do you want?"

"I'll make this easy." Artie motioned to Annabeth and Artemis. "Let her go and get back under the sky."

"Oh," the smile faded from Atlas, no longer amused. "And if I don't?"

"Since I'm not a son of Zeus, Poseidon, or Hades I don't have the power to decide the fate of Olympus." Artie removed his sunglasses and tossed them aside."But what I do have are a very particular set of skills; skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my friend go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you."

"I thought the son of Poseidon was dense." Atlas scowled. "You kill me?! Ha! I am immortal. You could not even hope to defeat me, in even your wildest dreams combines, let alone kill me.

"You're wasting your breath, Artie." Percy said. "He's too much of a coward to fight us. Says its beneath an immortal's dignity to fight a mere mortal."

Artie looked to the immortal. "You don't say."

"The boy speaks truly."Atlas smiled triumphantly. "You should all just give up!"

"So you won't throw the first punch?" Artie asked.

"Not even in a million years." Atlas smirked.

"Then allow me!"

While Thalia and Zoë were still getting used to how fast Artie could be, especially if he pushed it, but even Percy wouldn't have registered that Artie had moved if not for the golden ichor that splashed the front of Luke's shirt. It was that same liquid that coated Artie's claws and ran down the length of his arm, staining the moonsilver gauntlet and bracer, as well as Atlas's face which he covered, cursing up a storm in ancient Greek. Percy looked to Zoë and Thalia and they all exchanged nods and readied their weapons.

Atlas growled, his lifting from his face to reveal scars healing over. "You'll pay f — "

"No,"Artie slashed again, so fast that those that blinked missed it. "Now its your turn to pay!"

Atlas howled and stumbled backward. "AAARGH!"

Luke drew Backbiter and attacked.

His sword met Thalia shield just in time with a resonating clang and giant ball of lightning erupted between them, frying the air with yellow tendrils of power. Then they began fighting like demons. They snarled as they blocked, parried, and countered each others attack, lighting and sparks crackling around them.

"ENOUGH!" Atlas bellowed. "This ends now!" His silk suit melted and became full Greek battle armor and javelin appeared in his hands which he used to bat Artie aside like baseball at a Yankees game. "Now, son of Poseidon, go on then."

Percy swung his sword, but Atlas knocked him aside with the shaft like he had with Artie. He flew through the air and collided with a brick wall. At first, Percy thought it was a trick of the Mist, but it wasn't. Something was rising out of the ground, brick by brick.

"Fool!" Atlas said gleefully as he swatted aside Zoë's arrows like flies. "Did you think just because you challenged that petty war god, Ares, that could stand up to me?"

At the mention of Ares's name,a jolt when through Percy. He stood, shaking the daze, and charged the Titan again. The javelin's point slashed toward him like scythe. He raised Riptide, intending to cut the weapon in half at the shat, but suddenly his sword felt as if weighed several tons. Then Percy remembered what Ares had warned him when they first fought in Los Angeles, _When you need it most, your sword will fail you._ He barely had enough time to recall when the javelin caught him in the chest and sent him flying like a ragdoll. Percy slammed onto the ground, the world spinning. He looked up to see Artemis, still struggling under the weight of the sky.

"Run boy!" she said. "You must run!"

Atlas loomed over him. "Die, little hero."

He raised the javelin to impale him.

"NO!" Zoë shouted and a volley of silver arrows erupted from the underarm chink of the Titan's armor.

"ARGGH!" He howled and turned towards his daughter. "You will see how foolish it is to fight me."

Then more arrows sprouted down the Titan's left side, every single one hissing and dripping in steaming poison. Atlas cried out in agony and went down to one knee and turned to see Artie, walking slowly toward him. Blood was running down the side of cheek and he was bruised, but he hardly seemed to notice. As he walked, Artie removed his quiver and belt with his Kopis along with pieces of his armor.

"If I know Percy or Thalia, even Zoe, they won't give up as along as they draw breath and they know I won't either." Artie unfastened the fibula and his cloak fell to the ground. "But you also have another problem. For the longest time, I've felt more animal than human. Always making sure I don't lose control, not for one second or someone could die. But you can take it, can't you, General?" He slipped off his gauntlets and tossed them aside followed by his bracers. "What I have here is rare opportunity for me to finally cut loose and finally let the animal out of its cage."

"No!" Artemis shouted. "Don't!"

But her words fell on deaf ears.

Artie's silver eyes flashed a demonic red as his claws fully extended and he dropped on all fours.

Then he pounced on the Titan Lord Atlas.

* * *

_**A/N** - First off, apologies for the extra long wait and short chapter, but the holidays are becoming a bit taxing. Its also for that reason that I'll be taking a break until the new year (and my birthday) passes. I'm sure I'll find time between now and then to write, but not enough to update this or any of my stories._

_**A/N II** - If you're curious to learn the melody to Jacob's song, "Son Of The Moon", please visit this link and you can thank those responsible for writing since all I did was rewrite the lyrics. _

_ watch?v=8u1_Dqtc_bQ_

_Merry Christmas to all or Happy Holidays if you prefer_


	21. Deja Vu

While Jacob had been plagued with vision of his brother for years, he had never seen him like this. Artie snarled and growled like a wild animal, often dropping to all fours to pounce and dodge. His finger nails grew into razor points and his canine teeth grew into fangs. His whole body shook with all the rage as he fought the Titan Lord Atlas.

Jacob had a hard time processing what occurred between his brother, Atlas, and the other demigods. It was almost as if someone hit the fast forward button on Artie while everyone moved at normal speed. At first, Percy and Zoë paused as if waiting for something then quickly joined in the fight, but making sure to stay out of Artie's way. Jacob guessed the snarling wasn't just for effect and he was so intent on fighting Atlas, he'd go through anything and anyone that got in the way. But despite Artie's speed and ferocity, Zoë's near countless arrows, and Percy's superb skills with a sword, Jacob knew it was not enough to defeat Atlas.

Then Artie's words from a earlier rang in his head, _The gods and Titans have kept us apart long enough, irmão._

Jacob threw open his trench coat and drew two boomerang in each hand just Atlas kicked Percy so he slide against the ground and stopped in from of Artemis. Atlas went to finish him, but Artie pounced and sank his teeth into his neck. Atlas bellowed as he shook and reached behind him. Artie snarled and twisted hard and he managed to turn Atlas enough for some of Zoë's arrows to hit. Artie went to bite again, but the Titan grabbed the demigod and threw him against a brick wall, the citadel of the Titans continuing to materialize around them. Before Artie's feet could even touch the ground, Atlas gripped him by the neck and raised his javelin to impale the son of the moon goddess, Artie futilely scratching and biting the Titan's arm.

Jacob saw Zoë reached for an arrow, but she would not have the time to fire and save Artie.

Jacob let his boomerangs fly, two flying left while the other two went right.

Just as the javelin's point was an inch from Artie's eye, two boomerangs collided with Atlas, one knocking the javelin from his grip while pierced his armored forearm and buried itself in his flesh. Just as quickly, two more hit the Titan from the left. The first one knocked his head to the right, dazing him for a moment, while the other went low and found Atlas' ankle. It was enough for the Titan to stumble and turn just in time to catch Zoë's arrow in his throat. To finish the maneuver, Artie dropped low and struck upwards with his claws.

All three charged the Titan Lord Atlas. Artie with tooth and nail, Zoë with her moonsilver hunting knives, and Jacob used a pair of sharpened boomerangs as knives.

But it was not enough.

Atlas roared in protest and caught Artie by the throat, stopping him mid air. Then he shot up to his full height, Artie still his grip, and swept his daughter aside with the back of his free hand, sending her flying into the black rocks with a thunderous _ker-ack_. In the half second Jacob saw Atlas defeat two powerful demigods, he felt the Titan's boot in his chest slam into him and send him crashing onto the ground.

Naturally, Jacob went to move, but Atlas lifted his foot and stomped on the demigod's chest. Jacob nearly blacked out as he felt his sternum break and three ribs crack. He looked up to see the Titan that had not only sent a monster to his home, killing his mother and chasing his brother all over two continents, but the Titan had actually made him believe someone cared for him, the closest thing he had to a father.

"Don't leave us yet, Jacob." Atlas grinned, despite the dirt and wound across his face along with two missing teeth. "I want you to see this." He brandish Artie, still struggling and snarling. "The skies will rain fire. The oceans will boil. The streets will run red with the blood of billions, but I want you to watch as the life leaves this vexing gnat at my hands. Only then will I allow death's sweet release."

Atlas slowly tightened his grip around Artie's neck.

"No!" Jacob croaked, his insides feeling as if filled with shards of white hot broken glass as he tried to move. "Let . . . him . . . go . . ."

Artie's struggling became slower and weaker as he desperately pounded and left deep gashes on the Titan's forearm. Atlas did not so much as wince as golden ichor, the blood of immortals, ran down his armor and dripped on to the floor. He seemed pleased as Artie's eyes flickered, like a car's headlight when the battery begins to die, from red back to his silver.

"Aw, what's the problem?" Atlas shook him like a rag doll. "Has the great beast tired himself out?" Atlas squeezed tighter. "Well?"

Artie tried to gag and cough, but he just didn't have enough air.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What was that? I didn't catch that." Atlas mockingly held him to his ear before holding him out again and growled. "Too bad, I'll never know!"

"Why . . ." Artie gasped with the last bit of air he had. " . . . did . . . you . . . send . . . Thorn?"

Atlas cocked his head, but did not released the demigod. Then he hissed and looked down at Jacob, two boomerangs stuck out of his boot.

"You two are not easily deterred."Atlas conceded. "I will give you that."

"_Então dar uma resposta_!" Jacob barked, his anger numbing the pain enough to speak. "Why did you send Thorn?"

"Very well, you both can take this to the Underworld." Atlas looked down at Jacob. "As he said earlier, I sent Thorn after this one." Atlas shook Artie. "You and your dolt of a mother merely got in his way."

Artie snarled and his eyes flashed red at the mention of his mother, but quickly returned to silver. His body was beginning to do what his mind would never do, give in.

Atlas ignored him and smiled down at Jacob. "As to why, you'll just have to use your imagination as you spend eternity in the Underworld." The Titan looked up at the son of Artemis in his hand. "Now who's going first?" He looked down at Jacob and smirked. "I think it's only fair you watch him die this time."

Then something that no one saw coming, least of all Atlas.

There was bright flash of silver light and Atlas went flying through a black wall, dropping Artie, as if a cannonball had hit him directly in the chest.

Jacob felt something land next to him. He strained to turn his head and was relived. It was Artie. He was coughing, bleeding, and looked utterly spent, but he was alive.

When he looked past his brother, Jacob saw something strange. Percy, the son of Poseidon, was straining under the weight of the sky. He was down on one knee and looked he would collapse at any moment, his teeth were gritted, and his a streak of white appeared in his hair. But what held Jacob's attention was not Percy. It was who Percy had taken the burden from.

Artemis held bow and walked slowly as she nocked another arrow. Despite terrifying expression she aimed at Atlas, her words shook Jacob to bone. "Do. Not. Lay A. Finger. On. My. Son."

The goddess looked down at her son, pushing himself up. She couldn't help, but be impressed. This demigod had nearly died countless times as a manticore chased him for four years. He had just about met his end fighting the same manticore in Maine. He practically broken every bone in his body when he fell from the Talos automaton in Arizona. And near about driven to insanity after being poisoned with the most agonizing venom known to Olympians. And yet, he continued to live, to fight. Children of Athena had intelligence and the children of Ares had strength. Descendants of Apollo were legendary archers and the children of the Big Three were always powers to be reckoned with.

Artie had none of this.

He was not a great state gist nor a powerful warrior. He was talented with a bow, yes, but even after vast amounts of time devoted he was not on the same level as the children of Apollo. But he had one thing that no other hero had before him.

Tenacity!

Like the great ancient Greek spartan warriors of old, Artie would never give up. He would never surrender. To Artie, to surrender was to die. He could've given up when Thorn attacked his home in Rio, he didn't. He could've surrendered when he reached America and Thorn ambushed him in the everglades, he didn't. He most certainly could've conceded when Orion tried to kill him in Yellowstone Nation Park, he didn't. And not a single soul would have blamed him for sitting out a fight against an immortal Titan warrior, but he didn't.

"You have done enough." Artemis said gently.

Artie spat out a globule of blood and stood up. He swayed to side and his breathing was ragged and raspy. He stumbled and threaten to fall, but he snarled and steadied himself.

"You can barely stand." said the goddess.

"Listen to your mother, child!" spat Atlas.

Artie collapsed onto a knee.

"Why do you continue to fight?" Artemis asked. "You are but flesh and bone. He is an immortal. You cannot win. What do you wish to gain?"

"Ha!" Atlas chuckled. "Are you really still that surprised at the stupidity of mortals, goddess? Of heroes?"

Then Artie began to laugh. "You just don't get it. Neither of you do." Artie pushed himself up again. "You think I'm fighting for me?" He stared at Atlas. "That's why you'll never win. Look around you!" Artie motioned to Percy, Jacob, Thalia, Annabeth, and Zoë. "I'm not fighting for me. I'm fighting for them! And that's something you'll never understand, Titan!" Artie brandished his claws. "It's the very thing that makes us human."

"Very well," Artemis waved her hand and silver light engulfed her son. "But that does not mean you have to fight as one."

Jacob turned as there was a bright flash. It was like the sun itself had come within a few feet of him, minus the heat which at the surface is over nine thousand. Even after turning and closing his eyes shut, it was too bright. But just as quickly, the light vanished and Jacob turned and his jaw dropped when he saw his brother, or where his brother had been standing.

Jacob knew of Artie's mishap on the Isle Of Circe, but now he was seeing the results firsthand.

The base coat of his kind was generally a tawny yellow with blackish rosettes for camouflage in the forest, but his was the most beutiful and purest shade of silver. He was over nine feet long from his nose to the base of his tail, which was three feet long itself as it flicked back and forth with impatience. His legs, all four of them on the floor, were short, but thick and powerful. He was the size of small truck, just under four feet at the shoulder. His eyes were now glowing red, instead of their normal silver, and combined with the small thunderstorm in his throat, it was clear Artie was not happy. Jacob also saw how his paws clawed the ground, eager use the Titan as a scratching post.

Artemis had turned her son into a giant silver jaguar.

"Ar . . . Artie?" Jacob gasped.

The jaguar padded over and sniffed Jacob's face. Jacob reached up and scratched under his chin. The giant man eating cat cocked his head and looked over the broken body of the demigod. As terrifying as it could be, Jacob smiled reassuringly and felt the animals throat hum as it began to purr.

"Do you really think that will make a difference, goddess?" Atlas spat. "Then again, Lord Kronos could use his pelt for a welcome mat!"

Artie made a sound similar to a snarl mixed with a hiss, like he could not decide which one to make.

"Come, boy." Atlas beckoned. "Test your meddle again."

"How little you know of cats, Atlas." Artemis came over and scratched behind his ear.

Artie snarled and growled.

"Really? Even now?" Artemis asked.

"What?" asked Atlas.

"He quoted another film." The goddess rolled her eyes. "He has a taste for them."

"Oh, the mystery is killing me." Atlas sneered. "Tell me, my dear, what did the child say."

"It was a response to your invitation to test his meddle." Artemis smiled. "Cats come when they feel like it. Not when they're told."

As soon Artemis spoke, Artie pounced.

Artemis quickly followed behind.

Jacob quickly lost track of time and of the fight. The pain mixed with his low point of view, he could only catches glimpses of the fight. There was Atlas of course, laughing manically as he jabbed and parried with his javelin. Artemis was a silver blur. She fought with two wicked looking moonsilver hunting knives, each as long as her arm, and slashed wildly at the Titan, leaping and dodging with unbelievable grace. Only Artie seemed to match her, scratching and biting whenever he pounced. And unless Jacob was seeing things, the goddess and her son were working together. Artie would leap onto Atlas and attempt to crush a piece of the Titan in his mouth, but he dared not stay long enough to accomplish it. It was long enough to remove Atlas' armor, piece by piece, and Artemis would aim for the chinks Artie created. Atlas roared with pain each time it happened, shaking the ground with the force of it, but affected him like bee stings. He simply got madder as he fought and kept going.

Atlas advanced, pressing Artemis and Artie. They were both fast, but his strength was unstoppable. His javelin slammed into the earth where Artemis had been standing only a split second before, and a fissure opened in the rocks. He leaped over it and pursued her, Artie pursuing him. Jacob pushed himself up on an elbow, cursing his curiosity, and saw she was leading the Titan back to where Percy was threatening to collapse under the weight of the sky.

He laughed. "You fight well for a girl." Artie pounce and Atlas backhanded him without even looking. "And a kitten. But you're no match for me!"

He feinted with the tip of his javelin and Artemis dodged, but she did not see the trick coming. Atlas's javelin swept around and knocked Artemis's legs from under her. She fell, and brought up his javelin up for the kill.

"NO!" Zoë shouted.

She seemed to appear from nowhere as she fired an arrow right in the middle of her father's forehead, where it lodged like a unicorn's horn. Atlas bellowed and swept her aside with the back of his hand, sending her flying into the black rocks once more.

Then Atlas turned back to Artemis with a look of triumph on his face. Artemis seemed to be wounded. She wouldn't even get up, but she had an expression of pure hatred and defiance.

"The first blood of a new war!" he gloated. Then he stabbed downward.

As fast as thought, Artemis grabbed the shaft of his javelin. It hit the ground next to her and she pulled back, using the weapon as lever, but Atlas saw the trick coming and firmly braced his feet. The goddess's feet simply stopped at the Titan's ankle. Atlas smiled for he knew as long as he stood firmly planted, Artemis would not be able to bring him down that way. But he forgot one thing, or rather one person. The person who he woul not have reason to fight if he had simply left the boy to his life in Rio De Janerio.

Artie landed on the Titan's back.

Any cat owner in the world would know the feeling of of their adorable pet leaping from their lap to a higher position. A common house cat can clear a distance of eight feet without much effort, but their much larger ancestors can several times that with just as little effort. An average jaguar can kill an eight-hundred pound bull and actually drag the carcass into a tree.

And Artie, at that moment, was far from an average jaguar.

So when Artie landed on Atlas's back and leaped off. It was like being struck by a fully stocked eighteen wheeled truck, just enough to make the General of Kronos's forces stumble. Artemis tried again and kicked the Titan lord as she pulled back on the javelin, sending him flying over her.

Now while no one, but Artemis and Percy knew, this was exactly what she wanted. Percy loosened his grip on the sky, and as Atlas slammed into him, he did not try to hold on. He simply allowed himself to be pushed out of the way and rolled for all he was worth. The weight of the sky slammed onto Atlas's back, almost crushing him flat, but he managed to get to knees, struggling to get out from under the weight of the sky. But it was too late.

"Nooooo!" he bellowed so hard it shook the ground. "Not again!"

Percy, now free of the sky, tried to stand and fell back, dazed with pain. It felt as if his body was burning up. He was vaguely aware of Artie nudging him with his snout and licking his cheek.

Then Jacob, and everyone else, turned to see the fight between Thalia and Luke continuing to rage on.

Thalia had backed Luke to the edge of the cliff, but they still fought on, near the golden coffin of Kronos. Thalia had tears in her eyes and Luke had bloody gash across his chest and his pale face glistened with sweat. He lunged at her and she slammed him hard with her shield. Backbiter, Luke's sword, spun out of his hands and clattered to the ground. Thalia held up her spear to his throat.

"Well?" he asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice.

Thalia trembled with fury.

Behind her, Annabeth came up, now free of her bonds. Her face was streaked with sweat, dirt, and blood. "Don't kill him!"

"He's a traitor!" Thalia said. "A traitor!"

Percy noticed Artemis running towards the black rock where Zoë had landed. He felt something large and furry nudged him. Percy turned to Artie, still a giant silver jaguar, and he shook his head. He didn't want Percy to follow. They both turned their attention back to Annabeth, Thalia, and Luke.

"We'll bring him back." Annabeth pleaded. "To Olympus. He'll . . . he'll be useful."

"Is that what you really want, Thalia?" Luke sneered. "To go back to Olympus in triumph? To please your dad?"

Thalia hesitated, and Luke made a desperate attempt for her spear.

"No!" shouted Annabeth.

But it was too late. Without thinking, Thalia kicked him away. He lost his balance, terror on his face, and fell.

"LUKE!" Annabeth screamed.

They all rushed to the edge of the cliff, and looked below. Below them, the army from the Princess Andromeda looked down in amazement. They were staring at the broken form of their comrade and commander, Luke.

One of the giants looked up and growled. "Kill them!"

Thalia was stiff with grief, tears streaming down her face, Percy pulled her back as a wave of javelins sailed over their head while Artie did the same for Annabeth with his teeth. They all ran for the rock, ignoring the curses and threats form Atlas as they passed. Except for one. Artie ran to where his brother still lay.

"Hey, buddy!" Jacob smiled weakly. "I always knew you were a cat person."

Artie nudged his side gently and Jacob yelped.

"Broken sternum and three broken ribs." He laughed the confused look Artie was giving him. "Son of Apollo, remember?"

Artie looked to where Artemis, holding Zoë in her arms, and his friend were and back at where Jacob lay.

"I get it." He sighed. "You need to get me over there."

Artie plucked a boomerang off of the floor and placed in Jacob's mouth so he had something to bite down on.

"Orrkrray!" Jacob grunted between the piece of bronze. "Orrn thrr courrrnt orrf treee. Orrne . . . trrwo — "

Artie knew from experience it was best to do this sort of thing when it was least expected. As quickly and as gently as he could, Artie dragged his brother across the floor to where his friends and the goddess stood. Jacob grunted and cursed up a storm, but unintelligible due to the boomerang and the only one able to speak Portuguese and call him on it was incapable of forming words himself.

"The stars, my lady." Zoë murmured. "I cannot see them."

"Nectar and ambrosia!" Percy shouted. "Come on, we have to get her some."

No one moved and grief hung in the air. The army of Kronos was just below the rise. Artemis was too shocked to stir. Artie was about to go meet the army, giving his friends time to form a plan and escape, when they all heard a strange buzzing noise.

Just as the army of monsters came over the kill, a Sopwith Camel swooped down across the sky.

"GET AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER!" Professor Chase shouted over the roar of the engine and machine gun fire. The group stared in disbelief as he swooped down again and he called down to them. "RUN!"

Artemis raised her hunting horn to her lips and blew, a clear sound echoing down the valleys of Marin.

The gunfire peppered the ground with bullet holes, startling the front lines into scattered. Dr. Chase swooped down again and this time was received with expectation. A few giant threw javelins and one actually sailed clear through a wing of the plane. It became apparent that the good doctor had somehow acquired celestial bronze and fashioned them into bullets. The first row of snake women wailed as the machine gun's volley turned them into dust and scattered in the wind.

Just then, the moonlight brightened and a silver chariot appeared from the sky and landed next to them. Instead of horses, the chariot was drawn by eight hinds, eight golden Ceryneian hinds.

"Get in!" said Artemis.

Annabeth helped Thalia on board and Percy helped Zoë, wrapping her in blankets. Artie took Jacob by the teeth and began dragging him toward the chariot as Artemis took hold of the reins and looked.

"Stop!" Artemis held up a hand. "Not him!"

Artie snarled and growled threateningly.

"That's his brother!" Percy protested. "We can't just leave him."

"Yeah," added Annabeth. "He was tricked into helping the Titan by Atlas. Its not his fault!"

"I know." Artemis looked perplex. "There is simply not enough room him. My son shall have to carry him."

Artie instantly calmed down and made a concerned yowl.

"Oh!" Artemis waved a hand and moonlight surrounded Artie's feet. "Thank you for reminding me. That would have been embarrassing."

Jacob screamed a string of cursed in Portuguese as Artie snaked his head under him and got him onto his back.

Artemis cracked the reins and the chariot sped off into the sky. Percy looked back to see Artie, expecting him to slide down the mountain side or something and follow by running across the water, but Artie followed alongside the chariot.

Seeing them safely away, Dr. Chase turned his plane and followed alongside like an honor guard, staring in amazement at the jaguar running on the oppisite side of the chariot.

"How is he doing that?" He called out. "I'd swear he was running on an invisible road, if I didn't know any better.

Artie made a growly snarly sound in his throat and Percy swore that Artie was smiling.

"What do you think he said?" Percy asked Annabeth.

"Roads?" Artemis answered. "Where we're going, we don't need roads."

They were the strangest sight for the Bay Area. A silver chariot being pulled by eight golden Ceryneian hinds, escorted by a Sopwith Camel and a giant silver jaguar carrying an injured demigod. But they would see much stranger if they could see Mt. Tam.

Behind them, the army of Kronos roared in anger as they gathered on the summit of the mountain, but loudest of all was Atlas, bellowing curses against the gods as he struggled under the weight of the sky.

The darkest curses, he reserved for the two brothers of Maria Gallezi.

* * *

_**A/N** - Sorry, I know I promised a little after the holidays, but I got distracted (I recently discovered the wonderful world of ). Plus, I admit to a bit of writer's block. If it happens to the best of authors, then its definitely gonna hit me with earnest._ It won't be a problem as I've had the ending in mind for a while now, its just matter of actually putting pen to paper, so to speak.

**_A/N II_** - _While this was the one I couldn't wait to write, I find myself ecstatic to get started on book four and all the naughty things (hehehehe) I have planned for Artie, but I'll be taking a break to edit some of my other stories. Don't worry, I won't change anything. I'm just sick of staring at my grammitcal errors and the continuity holes I've made along the way._

_So until then, KEEP CALM AND ALLONS-Y!  
_


	22. Decsions

The Goddess and heroes landed at Crissy Field just after nightfall.

Once Artie's paws touched the ground, and he laid Jacob gently as he could on the floor, a sliver light engulfed him once more. When the light dimmed and winked out, Artie was kneeling over his brother. He had somehow regained all of his clothes and weapons, including his quiver and belt.

There was screech and Tobias landed next to him, laying Diego on the floor before properly landing.

"What the?" Jacob looked up to Artie.

"Long story." Artie replied. "Later, I promise."

While Artie tended to Jacob, Annabeth ran to father and hugged him tightly while Artemis and Thalia treated Zoë.

Thalia called to them. "Annabeth, Percy?"

They ran other to help, but there wasn't much they could do. They had no nectar and ambrosia and mortal medicine would not help. It was dark, but they could see Zoë was not doing well. She was shivering and the faint glow that usually hung around her was fading.

Artie was torn between Zoë and Jacob. He wanted to help both, but there wasn't anything he could do for either of them. Jacob's injuries were not magical induced like Zoë's. Artie emptied his belt onto the floor and looked for the few medical supplies he hadn't used or lost along the way. There was a small roll of gauze and adhesive tape to stop a wound from bleeding. Small tubes of ointment for treating burns and rashes sat next to an empty bottle of painkillers. He even had a needle and thread for stitches, but nothing to mend broken bones and stop internal bleeding caused by them.

Artie couldn't stop the tears. His brother, whose death he carried for years, had survived and returned to him only to die in his arms not even a day after they had been reunited.

"_Apenas esta única coisa. . . é a tanto_?" he whispered. "_O que fiz sempre. . . isto. . . isso é injusta_."

"Hey," Jacob whispered back. "Its gonna be fine."

"How can you say that?" he croaked. "Wait! My boot!"

Artie quickly removed his left boot and retrieved his flask.

But it was empty, Artie had drunk it all when he and his friends fought Talos in New Mexico.

"_Caramba_!" he snapped and tossed it aside in anger. "_Parte inútil de bosta_."

Then the strangest thing happened, Jacob began to laugh.

"Why . . ." Artie wiped his eyes. "Why are you laughing?"

"You just reminded me." Jacob coughed.

"Of what?"

"That we're really brothers." Jacob smiled weakly. "Check my right boot."

Artie went to his feet and gently tugged off the black leather combat boot from Jacob's right foot. He turned it upside down and out fell something made of brightly polished metal.

The goddess Artemis always had an affinity for silver, the same shade of silver the moon took every now and then. Her Hunters used enchanted silver weapons and they wore silver jewelery. As her child, Artie had always felt drawn to the metal. Which was why he opted for a silver hip flask, the shape of crescent move engraved on both sides, to carry his emergency supply of nectar. Jacob on the other hand decided on modern stainless steel for his, with same coat of arms as his belt buckle, the one for Rio De Janeiro. But it was not the subtle differences that Artie was concerned with.

Like him, Jacob carried nectar in his boot.

"What did _mamãe _used to say about us?" Artie choked back a sob.

"_Gêmeos não pensa como vocês dois_." Jacob responded.

Artie lifted Jacob head and rested it against his lap. "Just hold on." Artie's trembling hand made it difficult to unscrew the cap.

Jacob seized his wrist. "_Espere_!"

Artie looked down. "What?"

"Give it to the Hunter." Jacob said weakly, but firmly.

"But — " Artie began to protest.

"You don't have to be a child of Athena to figure it out." Jacob said. "I was helping the Titans. How do you think she's going to see it?" Jacob motioned to Artemis.

Artie shook his head. "She'd — "

"Blame me and you." Jacob finished. "Me for choosing to save my neck and you for letting one of her Hunters die."

"I just got you back." Artie whimpered.

"Even if you save me now, I'll still eventually die. Demigods might as well as have expiration dates." Jacob coughed as he chuckled grimly. "And I'll probably end up in the Fields Of Punishments for my trouble. Is that what you want?"

"No . . ." Artie sniffed.

"Then give it to her." Jacob said gently. "And we'll see each other soon enough."

"_Dizer Olá a ela por mim_." Artie whispered as tears ran down face and fell onto the floor. "_E sinto muito por tudo_."

Jacob nodded. "_Eu prometo_."

Artie rose slowly as if his body weighed several tons and each movement pained him. He indulged in one more look over his shoulder at the prone broken body of his brother. Then he nodded once and walked to the crowd around Zoë Nightshade, lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis.

Artemis was speaking and looked troubled. "Life is a fragile thing, Percy. If the Fates will the string to be cut, there is little I can do."

Everyone looked as Artie fell to his knees by Zoë's head and cradled it in his lap. "How do the gods stand living forever?"

"Artie . . ." Zoë's voice sounded weak. "What are . . . "

"Don't talk." Artie's voice sounded even weaker. "Or I'll change my mind."

Percy saw Artie held a flask like the one he kept in his boot that he filled with nectar. "When did you — "

"It's not mine." Artie's hands trembled as he went to unscrew the cap. "I drank mine back in New Mexico."

"Its Jacob's." Thalia said. "Isn't it?"

Artie choked back a sob. "Yes."

Artemis spared the demigod a glance. "But he is not . . ."

"Not yet." Artie paused as he fought to urge to break down. "He wouldn't let . . . he . . . he . . . he . . ."

Suddenly, like Jacob had done, Zoë's hand shot up and grasped Artie's wrist. Zoë looked into Artie's for a moment, but she turned to Artemis. Some kind of silent exchange between them.

"Have . . . I served thee well?" Zoë whispered to the goddess.

"With great honor." Artemis said softly. "The finest of all my attendants."

Zoë's face relaxed. "Rest. At last."

"Zoë . . ." Artie croaked. "I have nectar. You don't have to . . . "

"How would you judge?" Zoë said. "One who has outlived empires chooses to save herself rather than allow another their fair share of time on this world?"

Artie couldn't answer.

"Thank him for the offer." Zoë's hand went to Artie's cheek. "I am sorry for what I've said, but I see now. You are nothing like that monster Orion, you truly are the child of my goddess."

Artie cupped Zoë's hand and looked to Artemis.

"Go," whispered the goddess. "The both of you have suffered enough without each other."

Artie bent down and kissed Zoë's forehead before he whispered. "_Esteja em paz, irmã da lua. Você não será esquecida_."

Zoë turned her head and kissed Artie's cheek. "Perhaps in the next life." Her eyes went to Thalia and she took her hands. "I am sorry we argued." She said. "We could have been sisters."

"It's all my fault." Thalia said, blinking hard. "You were right about Luke, about heroes, about men — everything!"

"Not all men." Zoë murmured as her gaze drifted to Artie for a moment and she smiled weakly at Percy. "Do you still have the sword, Percy?"

Percy opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find the words. He took out Riptide and laid in Zoë's hand.

Zoë grasped it fondly. "You spoke the truth, Percy Jackson. You are nothing like . . . like Hercules. I am honored you carry this sword."

A shudder ran through her body.

"Zoë . . ." Percy said.

"Stars." Zoë murmured. "I can see the stars again, my lady."

A single glistening tear ran down Artemis' cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars . . ." Zoë repeated. Her eyes fixed on the night sky. And she did not move again.

Thalia and Artie lowered their heads. Annabeth choked back a sob and her father rest his hands on her shoulders. They all watched as Artemis cupped her hand over Zoë's mouth and spoke a few words in Ancient Greek. A silvery wisp of smoke escaped from her mouth and caught in the goddess' hands. Zoë's body shimmered and disappeared.

Artemis stood, said another bless in ancient Greek, breathed into her cupped hands and released the silver dust into the sky. It flew up, sparkling, and vanished.

The onlookers watched as the stars grew brighter and formed a new pattern. The constellation resembled a girl's figure — a girl's figure with a bow and arrow, running across the sky. And unless Artie was seeing things, he thought he saw Orion's constellation flinch and turn to run.

Artie smiled and thought, _Give him hell, Zoë_

"Let the world honor you, my Huntress." said Artemis. "Live forever in the stars."


	23. Hail To King

Saying their goodbye was not easy. The thunder and lightning continued boiling over Mount Tamalpais in the north. As Artie carefully poured the nectar into his brother, he switched his gaze from the mountain to Artemis. He had expected Zoë's death to greatly upset her, but silver light flickered around her. Artie knew that if she lost control, even for a second, she would reveal her true divine form and they would disintegrate by looking at her.

"I must go to Olympus immediately." said Artemis. "I cannot take you with me, but I will send help." She laid a hand on Annabeth's shoulder. "You were brave beyond measure, my girl. You will do what is right."

Then Artemis looked quizzically at Thalia, as if she wasn't sure what to make of her. Thalia seemed reluctant to look up, but something made her, and she held the goddess's gaze. Something passed between them and Artemis's gaze softened with sympathy. Then she turned to Percy.

"You did well." said the goddess. "For a man."

Percy wanted to protest, but he realized it was the first time she hadn't called him a boy.

Artemis paused as she walked to her chariot and regarded her son. "While I'm sure they did not envision this, I wish they could have seen you fulfill my promise."

She held out her hand and Artie's tooth necklace flickered and disappeared before reappearing in her hand a second later. Artemis mounted her chariot, which began to glow. They all averted their eyes. There was a bright flash of silver and when they turned back see, she was gone.

"Well, she was impressive." Dr. Chase sighed. "But I still prefer Athena."

Artie and Jacob, still laying on the floor, watched as Annabeth hugged him and he hugged her back.

"Hey," Jacob nudged Artie. "What did she mean?"

"I was born mortal." Artie said quietly. "It was when I was dying and my parents sacrificed themselves that I became a half blood." Artie wiped the corner of his eye. "Before she did that, she promised them that I'd turn my name into a title."

"I don't understand."

"Artemis is normally a girl's name." Artie helped his brother sit up. "But it can be used for boys, if they earn the right. That goes double for demigods. As far as I know, there hasn't been a single demigod that reached adulthood with that name."

"Until you." Jacob smiled weakly.

"I hope so." Artie smiled back.

"Why did she take your necklace?" Jacob grunted as he tried to push himself up. "Its not magic or something is it?"

"I don't think so." Artie let Jacob lean on him. "I got it when I defeated Orion in Wyoming."

"You killed Orion?" Jacob looked impressed.

"I defeated Orion." Artie clarified. "He's still alive in the stars. I'm sure he'll pop down sooner or later." Artie scanned their surroundings and sighed. "Hmm . . ."

"What?"

"Nothing." Artie said. "Yet."

Tobias screeched and Artie turned his head to see three pegesai descending from the clouds. Two of them were white from head to tail and the other was pure black. They landed in the clearing and trotted up to Percy, but they paused when they passed Artie off to the side. Artie watched they regarded him, supporting his brother, and they made a strange gesture. They all bent their right left foreleg and held out their right foreleg far out in front of them as they lowered their heads. Unless Artie this was a strange pegasus greeting, he was fairly sure they were bowing before him.

"Uh, Percy?" Artie asked once they rose and resumed walking to son of Poseidon. "What was that?"

"Hold on, I'll ask." Percy rubbed the black Pegasus's neck gently and gave him a quizzical look. "Blackjack says their not sure, it just felt right."

"What do the others say?" Annabeth asked.

"Couldn't they have confused Artie for Percy?" offered Thalia. "His dad did create horses out of sea foam right?"

"No. They say they know who Artie is," Percy confirmed after a moment. "But that's exactly why they bowed." Percy seemed to remember something. "Look, we can figure that out later. We need to get Olympus."

Artie watched Percy mounted Blackjack and Thalia nervously mounted one of the white pegasai, Guido and Porkpie were practically twins, and Annabeth talked with her father. Then he counted and saw they were at least one pegasus short.

"Um, Artie?"Jacob tapped his shoulder. "Your belt is glowing."

"Huh?" Artie looked down and saw one one of the pouches on his belt was emitting a bright silver light. "That should be empty." He retrieved a small metal figurine. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that, but it can't fly."

Artie tossed the figurine in front of them. Out from the figurine, sprang his motorcycle, the Ceryneian Davidson. To his surprise, the engine was running which was impossible since Apollo had said it was solar powered and the sun had already set. He peered at the gauges that displayed things — speed, temperature, gears, etc. There was little red blinking bar that said "Remaining Battery Life" tucked into the corner.

"Okay, so it can drive at night." Artie admitted. "But it still can't fly."

At those words, little particles of silver dust began to float and sparkled around the wheels.

"Alright, so it can fly." Artie decided to try something. "But it doesn't a built in DVD player with surround sound and espresso dispenser." Artie noticed everyone staring at him. "What? Too much?"

"Just get on." Percy frowned.

"I think we'll survive without espresso for a while." Annabeth motioned for Artie to hurry up

"If you say so," Artie helped Jacob onto the motorcycle.

Together they all soared over the bay and flew, or in Artie's case steered, toward the eastern hills. Before long, San Fransisco was only a glittering crescent behind them, with the occasional flicker of lightning in the north.

Artie was brought up the rear as the pegasai flew in reverse 'V' pattern. Thalia was fast sleep on the lead as Percy and Annabeth flew along side each other, speaking as they did so.

"So where did you get the bike?" Jacob asked.

Artie smiled at Jacob's reflection. The nectar had healed Jacob's more serious injuries and he looked infinity better than he had been. Still, Artie resolved to have him rest once they landed.

"Early birthday present." Artie said.

"From who?" Jacob wondered. "Hephaestus?"

"Sort of." Artie paused for a moment, considering if he should tell Jacob the truth. "Your dad had him design and build this."

"Oh." Jacob sounded guarded and Artie felt him tense.

"I think he knew I'd need it." Artie said diplomatically. "To reach San Fransico in time."

"You don't say." Jacob still sounded angry.

"He thought you were dead." Artie decided to go head on.

"What?"

"When you . . . uh, . . . when the General tricked you." Artie fumbled for the right words. "He probably hid you from his view to make sure no one knew about you, in case I got wind of it. When I asked him, Apollo thought you were dead. I think it wasn't until this whole race for the Ophiotaurus thing that he saw you were alive and sent me."

"But you said your quest was to save Annabeth."

"But its his Oracle." Artie sounded as if he had just thought of it. "Percy told me he tried asking, but the Oracle wouldn't talk to him. I think he pulled a string or two and gave me my quest knowing I'd run into you." Another thought came to him. "I didn't even save Annabeth. Percy did that."

"So you failed?"

"No." Artie shook his head. "_Begin as you have and the daughter will be saved_. The oracle never actually said I would save her. Only that she would be saved."

"So what now?"

"I don't know." Artie admitted. "There's still the last line of my prophecy."

"What was it?" Jacob asked. "The whole thing.

"_Begin as you have and the daughter will be saved_." Artie recited. "I had to go on my quest alone and Percy saved Annabeth."

"And the rest of it?"

"_Control of the beast within regained_."

"What does that mean?"

"Let's just say becoming a giant silver jaguar isn't exactly new to me." Artie recited the third line. "_Vengeance taken and guardian freed_."

"You killed Thorn and freed me."

"Yes and no." Artie corrected. "Thorn is still alive, but he's suffering and will be for the rest of eternity."

"And the last line?"

Artie took a deep breath. "_The king of hunt the mother's world shall heed_."

"I don't like the sound of that." Jacob said after a moment. "What did it mean?"

"I don't know." Artie said quietly. "It hasn't happened yet."

"Any ideas?"

"I think it meas I might have to fight Orion again." Artie frowned. "Or somehow my quest released him and entire animal kingdom, Artemis's world, is gonna be on the run from him."

"But you're not sure."

"Nope." Artie shrugged. "I could be wrong eight ways from Sunday and not know it. I'll just do what I always do and wait it out. Sooner or later its going to happen."

"Well, mine took its sweet time." Jacob forced a smile.

"Let's just forget about it." Artie suggested. "I think we're entitled to a little fun, don't you?

Jacob lifted eyebrow. "Fun?"

Artie grinned wolfishly, "Let's see if they can do ninety!"

Jacob barely had time to tighten his grip around Artie's waist before he forced the accelerator to the max. Jacob managed to turn his head just as they blurred past Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia. It was as if time froze and they were simply hanging in place. When he peered over Artie's shoulder into the mirrors, he saw their pegasai were struggling to adjust at the sudden gust of wind they left in their wake.

"Hold on!" Artie shouted over the G-Force winds. "How about some background music?"

Artie pressed a button and then turned a knob all the way to the right, blasting music before he went into rapid dive, corkscrewing as he did so. Suddenly the world became a massive swirl of blacks and blues with bright lights dotted her and there. Like a roller-coaster they dived and rose at frightening speeds, all while either corkscrewing and hanging upside down. And all of it to one of the most famous sons of Apollo, Freddie Mercury.

_I'm a shooting star leaping through the skies_

_Like a tiger defying the laws of gravity_

_I'm a racing car passing by like Lady Godiva_

_I'm gonna go go go_

_There's no stopping me_

Jacob's breath caught in the back of his throat, making it difficult to breath. His heart pounded in hsi ears as knew one mistake from Artie could kill them both. They could dip too low or collide with a tree or house. They could smash head onto a passing airplane or caught get in one of the turbines and send the plane down with them, killing thousands. Or Orion could choose that exact moment to send an arrow and knock them off balance, sending them plummenting to thier deaths.

It was the most fun the brothers had since their childhoods in Rio.

_I'm burning through the sky , Yeah!_

_Two hundred degrees_

_That's why they call me Mister Fahrenheit_

_I'm traveling at the speed of light_

_I wanna make a supersonic man of you_

Artie, just as the song began to fade, leveled out the motorcycle and looked back at his brother. "Well?"

"Sure beats Aladdin's carpet ride." Jacob admitted weakly, but smiling widely.

They looked down and saw they were whizzing by an island of lights surround by the dark. They had reached New York City, the island of Manhattan to be precise. Artie saw Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia were catching up.

"There it is." Jacob pointed to Empire State Building.

Artie looked and saw an island of light floating far over the famous building. It was a floating mountain peak set ablaze with bright white marble buildings and burning torches braziers.

Artie heard the sound of nickering horses and the whoosh of flapping wings. They turned to see Percy and his friends had caught up and were flying alongside them.

"It's started." Thalia said.

"What's started?" Percy asked.

"The Winter Solstice." said Annabeth. "The Counsel of the Gods."

"And something tells me that they're not planning a surprise birthday party for me." Artie said grimly.

"It's your birthday?" Percy asked. "I had no idea."

"No one does." Artie said. "Didn't want to be reminded every year."

"Reminded of what?" Thalia wondered.

"Thorn." Jacob answered. "He came when Artie just turned eight."

On that cheery note, the heroes circled over midtown Manhattan and made one complete orbit around Olympus. Percy and Artie had only been to Olympus once before. For Percy it was when he returned the master bolt while Artie had visited when he learned he was the child of Artemis and sneaked into Athena's library. Annabeth had been seen it once or twice during Camp Half Blood field trips. Thalia had never seen it and neither had Jacob.

In the early morning darkness, torches seemed to glow every shade of every color in a rainbow and made the mountain side palace glow anywhere from indigo to bloodred. Artie wondered if New York was really called the city that never sleeps because of Olympus was floating over it. The twisting streets were full of demigods and nature spirits and minor godlings, riding chariots or sedan chair carried by Cyclopes. Thankfully for Artie, since he just plain hated the cold, winter didn't seem to exist. His sensitive noes caught the scent of gardens in full blooms, jasmine and countless fruit trees and flowers. Music drifted up from many windows, the soft sounds of reed pipes, lyres, and singing.

Artie landed just as the Battery Meter began to blink, next to the pegasai that landed in the outer courtyard. Artie stared at giant silver and gold gates, no doubt handmade by Hephaestus himself, and they slowly opened by themselves with a creak or groan.

They all regarded the palace.

"Feels like Westover Hall all over again." Percy said.

"You got that right, seaweed brain." said Annabeth and they shared a smile.

"You guys should head back to camp." said Thalia. "Percy and I are dangerous to them."

"I'm not going anywhere." Annabeth said firmly.

"Neither are we." said Jacob. "And I have just as much chance of getting blasted as the two of you." He frowned. "On second thought — "

"Anyways, you need people of intelligence on this sort of . . . mission . . . quest . . . thing." Artie said quoting Fellowship of the Ring.

"Well, that rules you out, Artie." Jacob said, finishing the quote.

"I suppose you think that was terribly clever?" Artie raised an eyebrow and waited to see if Jacob would take the challenge.

"Guys?" Thalia said knowing Artie was planning. "We're late enough as it is."

"I'm never late." Artie said as they began walking towards the palace.

"Nor is he early." Jacob limped alongside him. "He arrives precisely when he means to."

"So that's one off the list." Artie remarked. "What about the other two?"

"Gods have mercy." Annabeth hung her head.

Percy and Thalia laughed.

* * *

Twelve enormous thrones made giant U around a central hearth, exactly like cabins at Camp Half Blood. The ceiling glittered with constellations — even the newest one, Zoë the Huntress making her way across the heavens with her bow drawn and drawing in close to Orion. Each of the seats were occupied by fifteen foot tall gods and goddesses. They all turned their gazes as the heroes entered and they all briefly considered if fighting monsters was actually far easier to do.

"Welcome heroes." Artemis said. "Artie. Jacob."

"Artemis." Artie bowed his head slightly.

"Lady Artemis." Jacob bowed lower, anything to avoid being blasted.

Artie turned his attention to the rest of the gods as Grover made his way to Percy from reporting to Zeus. He wanted to see if Jacob, or Thalia and Percy, were on any of the gods list. Then again, he considered Percy had seemed to make it his mission in life to anger as many immortals as he could. Zeus was staring intently at Thalia, but Artie couldn't tell if that was bad or not. Poseidon kept a straight face, but Artie could have sworn he was holding back a smile as he regarded Percy. Hades was giving Artie a death stare. Not a litteral one, but it was clear Hades did not like him being there. Ares was of the same mood no doubt wishing he could blast Percy. Aphrodite looked pleasantly amused and seemed to be eyeing Percy and Annabeth. Artie had an uneasy feeling about that and resolved to warn Percy if he got the chance. Dionysus looked bored, no surprise there. Demeter looked indifferent to them.

Apollo, Hermes, and Hera on the other hand seemed pleased at thier presence. Although, it could be one of his favorite songs had begun to play since Apollo was wearing earbuds. Artie then settled on Artemis. She seemed to be conflicted and he didn't like the way she was watching Jacob. It was like she couldn't decide if it was worth blasting him or not and how Artie would take it. Then she spoke.

"Heroes." she called.

She slid down from her throne and shrunk to normal size, a twelve year old child with silver streaked auburn hair, perfectly at ease in the midst of giant Olympians. She walked towards the heroes, her silver robes shimmering. Now there was no conflict on her face Artie noticed, there was no emotion at all. And her aura made it as if she walked in a colum on moonlight.

"The Council has been informed of your deeds." the goddess told them. "They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the west. They know of Atlas' attempt to freedom and the gathering armies of Kronos. We have voted to act."

Artie noticed a lot of shuffling and mumbling, as did the others, among the gods. They seemed less than happy, but no one protested.

"At my Lord's Zeus' command." Artemis continued."My brother Apollo and I shall hunt the most powerful monster to prevent them from joining the Titan's cause. Lady Athena shall personally check on the other Titans and their various prisons. Lord Poseidon has been given permission to unleash his full wrath on the Princess Andromeda and send it to the bottom on the sea. As for you, my heroes . . ." She turned and addressed the rest of the Olympians. "These half bloods, my own child among them, have done Olympus a great service. Would any deny that?"

There was a definite pause as Artemis met each Olympian eyes.

"I gotta say, " Apollo broke the silence. "These kids did okay." He cleared his throat and began to recite. "_Heroes win laurels _— "

"Um, yes, first class!" Hermes said quickly as if to avoid one of Apollo's haikus. "All in favor of not disintegrating them?"

Two hands went up — Demeter and Aphrodite.

"Wait just a minute." Ares growled. He pointed to Percy and Thalia. "These two are dangerous." Then he pointed to Jacob and Artie stepped in front of him. "And he was working for the enemy. It'd be safer, while we got 'em here — "

"Ares!" Poseidon interrupted. "They are worthy heroes. We will not blast my son to bits.

"Nor my daughter." added Zeus. "She has done well."

"That goes double for my kid." Apollo stared daggers.

"Well, look at you." Ares sneered. "Father of the millennium. Not even a day ago that kid wanted you and your sister under the sky. What's to stop him from trying again?"

"I believe I can answer that." The goddess Athena cleared her throat and sat forward, addressing Zeus. "When the master bolt was stolen, Kronos whispered into Ares' mind and deceived him into doing his bidding. If it is possible for a Titan to accomplish that with a god, then it requires for his second in command considerable less effort to do the same with a mere mortal. I have no proof, but I deduce Atlas was using Apollo's son to lure Artie over to their side. Surely the first and only child of Artemis would be a powerful pawn."

Artie mouthed his thanks when Athena finished, even if she did sort of insult Jacob.

"I doubt he would have made difference." Ares folded his arms across his chest. "All the runt can do is take a hit better than some."

Artie had the strangest feeling the god of war, who had tried to kill him when he was twelve, had just complimented him.

"And as thick-headed as Ares is." Athena continued. "He has a point. There is a serious risk with these two."

"Mother!" Annabeth exclaimed. "How can you — "

Athena cut her off with a wave and firm look. "It is unfortunate that only Hades has kept his word, a fact I find ironic. But as we all know, children of the three elder gods . . . such as Thalia and Percy . . . are dangerous. As much as I hate to admit it, Ares is right on this matter. Even a blind gryphon finds a meal now and again, I suppose."

"Right!" Ares said. "Hey, wait a minute . . ."

Ares went to stand, but a grape vine bound him to his throne like a seatbelt.

"Oh, save the fighting for later, Ares." said Dionysus lazily.

Ares cursed and ripped away the vine. "You're one to talk, you old drunk. You seriously want to protect these brats?"

Dionysus gazed down at the heroes wearily. "I have no love for heroes. Athena, do truly think it safest to destroy them?"

"I do not pass judgement." Athena said. "I only point out the risk. What we will do, the Council must decide."

Artie had an urge to mumble 'no good deed goes unpunished' but he refrained. Knowing his luck, everyone would hear it.

"I will not have them punished." Artemis said firmly. "I will reward them. If we destroy heroes who do us a great service, then we are no better than the Titans. If this is Olympian justice, I will have none of it."

"Calm down, sis." said Apollo, apparently confident that no one would blast his son after what Athena had said. Or perhaps, he knew the outcome already. "You need to lighten up."

"Don't call me sis. I will reward them."

"Well." Zeus grumbled. "Perhaps. The monster must be destroyed at least. Do have an agreement on that?"

There was a lot of nodding heads.

"Bessie?" Percy wasn't sure he understood. "You want to destroy Bessie?"

Poseidon frowned. "You named the Ophiotaurus Bessie?"

"Dad," Percy pleaded. "He's just a sea creature. A nice really sea creature. You can't destroy him."

Poseidon shifted uncomfortably. "Percy, the monster's power is considerable. If the Titans were to steal it or — "

"You can't" Percy insisted. He looked Zeus right in the eye as he continued. "Controlling prophecies never works. Besides, Bess — the Ophiotaurus is innocent. Killing him would be like . . . Kronos eating his children. All because of something they _might _do."

Zeus seemed to consider Percy's words and his gaze drifted to Thalia ."And what of the risk? Kronos knows full well, if one of you were sacrifice its entrails, you would have the power to destroy us. Do you think we let that possibility remain? You, my daughter, will turn sixteen tomorrow, just as the prophecy says."

"You have to trust them."Annabeth spoke up. "Sir, you have tor trust them."

"Trust heroes?" Zeus asked.

"Then don't give them a reason to." Artie spoke up as well. "You're right. Percy and Thalia could destroy you, but they have a choice not to. Kronos is planning on them turning against you just based on that alone."

Zeus scowled. "What are you implying?"

Artie scowled right back. "Nothing, sir."

"Annabeth and my son are right." Artemis said. "Which is why I will make two rewards. First, my faithful companion, Zoë Nightshade, has passed into the stars. I must have a new lieutenant. And I intend to choose one. But first, Father Zeus, may I speak with you privately?"

Zeus beckoned his daughter forward and he bent down so she could speak in his ear. Artie had developed an excellent sense of hearing, but he couldn't catch a single word. It also didn't help that Percy and Annabeth were exchanging hushed whispers. Artie thought Percy was being an idiot. After everything that Percy had done and risked, did he really think Annabeth would leave him to join the Hunters. If Artemis had asked to speak with Athena then he might have been worried, but speaking with Zeus meant only one thing.

"What?" Thalia asked him when she noticed him staring.

"Nothing." Artie said.

"I shall have a new lieutenant." said Artemis. "If she will accept."

"No . . ." Percy murmured.

"Thalia, daughter of Zeus."Artemis asked. "Will you join the Hunt?"

Everyone but Artie stood silent, stunned by the question.

"I will." Thalia said firmly.

Zeus rose, his eyes full of concern. "My daughter, consider well — "

"Father," she said. "I will not turn sixteen tomorrow. I will never turn sixteen. I won't let this prophecy be mine. I will stand with my sister Artemis. Kronos will never tempt me again." Thalia knelt before Artemis and recited the same word all Hunters must upon join the Hunt. " _I pledge myself to the Goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt."_

Thalia, after hugging Grover and Annabeth and exchanging a few words with Percy, went to stand by Artemis.

"Now for my second reward." Artemis said and produced Artie's necklace. "This once belonged to Orion. He took it as a prize for defeating the mightiest bear that we even known. You might remember it better as the constellation of Ursa Major."

There was some nodding and Artemis beckoned for Artie to approach.

"When I was born, I swore to on the River Styx to remain a maiden." Artemis continued. "A vow which had prevented me from having children among the mortals. Since then, I have upheld my vow. But as you know, I still created a child of my own. Much like Athena has done for some time."

"This child, Artemis Raposo Gallezi, is that child. He is my son." Artemis said proudly. "Many heroes have come before him. Orion who possessed considerable hunting prowess. Hercules with his strength. Daedalus with his superb intellect." Artemis held up the necklace. "But none possess my child's will. What other could continue stand with shattered bones and blood boiling from the most agonizing venom known to us?" Artemis motioned to Artie. "What other hero would dare fight a Titan with his bare hands after barely finding the strength to stand? I ask you, what hero would refuse to give his foe a single inch? My son!"

The gods regarded Artie and mulled over his mother's words. Artie knelt at her feet, something he wouldn't have done a few day ago when they met in Maine.

"Which is why I will bestow on to him something that no other hero has ever achieved." Artemis hung the necklace around Artie's neck. "Let it be known this trinket is now the crown of a monarch."

Artie, still kneeling, looked up at Artemis.

"Artemis Raposo Gallezi." said Artemis.

"Bane of Manticores." Athena said suddenly.

"Spartan of the Forrest." said Ares reluctantly.

"The Foxy Archer!" chimed in Apollo.

"And now the King Of The Hunt." Artemis finished. "Let the my world of predators and prey heed."

_The king of hunt the mother's world shall heed_. Artie thought as he rose. _Check!_


	24. Not Exactly How Harry Met Sally

Artie had never been one for parties, but that was mostly due to have never been invited to one. The was always a reason, the main one being Thorn wasn't one for remembering birthdays or holidays. When he reached Camp Half Blood and Artemis claimed him, he mostly kept to himself except for politely popping into the Athena cabin with a present for Annabeth before disappearing.

But even Artie knew that there was a difference between a huge mega blowout party and an Olympian celebration, and he always choose the Olympian given the option.

The Nine Muses began to play music and the demigods realized it sounded like whatever the listener wanted to hear : the gods could listen to classical or music from the times of ancient Greece while the younger demigods could listen to rap and hip-hop. And of all of it was one the same sound track, with no arguments to change the radio station, only request to turn it up. Artie found himself bobbing his head swing jazz from the 1930's and wondering if Chiron would hear the same thing if he was there.

Dionysus walked around growing refreshment tables out of the ground with a beautiful woman on his arm, his wife Adriane. Nectar and ambrosia overflowed from golden fountains and platters of mortal food crowded the banquet tables. Golden goblets filled whatever drink the holder wanted. Artie noticed Grover totting a plate of enchiladas and tine can as he muttered over goblet which, he guessed from the smell, was filled with espresso. Percy was sipping something blue and clinked goblets with Annabeth who was also drinking something blue.

Artie snatched up a two goblets and whispered into one. "_Vaca Preta_."

After a second, the goblet filled with a dark liquid with a thick layer of creamy foam. The last time Artie had a _Vaca Preta_, Portuguese of a Black Cow, that was made the old fashioned way was during the last Carnival in Rio. It was basically a vanilla milkshake blended with more ice and coke. He took a sip and smiled, just like he remembered. He then took an ambrosia square and went to his brother who had found a seat in the corner.

Artie took the seat next to him and handed him the ambrosia and goblet. "Here. I think you can take a little bit more."

"Thanks." Jacob said after he swallowed the square. "Mmm."

"What do you usually get?" Artie asked as he took a sip from his goblet.

"_Brigaderio_." Jacob said. "The ones mom used to make for our birthdays."

"I miss those." Artie said. "The closest I get to those are those chocolate bonbons."

"Looks someone is popular." Jacob motioned to Percy and smiled. "I don't envy him."

Artie looked and smiled. "I see what you mean."

Aphrodite was speaking with Percy. She was batting her eyelashes at him, a skill that Artie suspected all of her daughters were born knowing how to do. Annabeth was dancing with a minor godling, eying the exchange suspiciously, while Ares looked like he wanted nothing more than blast the son of Poseidon right then and there.

"I wonder who'll win." Jacob spoke to his goblet. "_Guarana Antarctica_."

"If Aphrodite doesn't drop the whammy?" Artie chuckled. "Either way, not Percy."

The brother shared a loud and sincere laugh together for the first time in years.

"Feeling better?" Artie asked.

"I'm still a little sore, but I'll be fine." Jacob assured. "Don't worry about me. Just relax and enjoy the view." Jacob winked to a pair of girls who giggled and waved at the brothers as they walked by. "I know I am."

Artie did a double take. "What?"

"Oh, come on." Jacob laid an arm on Artie's back and motioned to the girls. "Ask one of them to dance."

"I, uh, um," Artie stammered.

"Allow me." Jacob stood up and smiled. "Watch and learn."

"Jacob, wait!" Artie said, but he was already gone.

Artie watched as his brother, in less than two minutes, had a girl on each arm walking back toward him. The both of them giggled and smiled at the son of Apollo and he was eating it up.

"Here he is ladies." Jacob motioned. "Hail the new king."

Artie felt his heart jump from chest to his throat. "Uh, hello."

"Hi." they said together.

"They're just dying to hear what happened on Mt. Tam." Jacob hinted.

"I hope I am not interrupting." said a voice.

Everyone turned to see Artemis, with Thalia, with a raised eyebrow. Most teenagers would die of embarrassment if their mother had shown up at a party just as they were about to talk to pretty girls, but Artie couldn't have been more grateful. The girls took the hint and politely excused themselves, making sure to bow to Artemis, and scurried off to a nearby snack table.

Artemis frowned at Jacob before speaking to Artie, "We must talk." Then she spoke to Thalia. "Would you excuse us please?"

Thalia nodded. "Yes, my lady." She motioned to the snack table. "Come on, Jacob. Let's get a drink. I think your dad said he wanted to talk to you."

Artie watched for a moment to see Jacob look back and nod once.

"Come," Artemis said gently, but firmly. "There is something you need to see."

Artie followed Artemis through the crowd and out to balcony that no seemed to notice. Artemis sat at the only table and Artie took the seat opposite her. Artie though it strange there was only a single table on the entire balcony, overlooking the whole of Manhattan and the edge of what he guessed to be Staten Island, and no one else was there enjoying the view of the Sleepless City.

"I do not want to be interrupted." Artemis said. "I am shielding us from view."

"Can I ask why?" Artie swirled his goblet.

"Do you remember how I showed your past?" Artemis asked. "Your mortal family?"

"Yes?" Artie said cautiously. "You just touched my head and I saw everything."

"I wanted to apologize for that." Artemis shifted as if she was not accustomed to admitting mistakes. "I should have considered how much of shock it would be on your mind. For that, I am sorry."

Artie blinked. He had never expected Artemis was even capable of admitting she was wrong, least of all apologize. "I don't know what to say."

"Apology accepted has worked excellently for centuries." Artemis offered.

"Apology accepted then." Artie sighed. "I'm sorry too. Back in Maine, I said a few things that I shouldn't have."

"You were angry and perhaps with just cause." Artemis said. "We were both at fault. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Artie motioned. "So what now? You hand me a tape recorder that self destructs once it plays a message and I end up suspended by wire trying to avoid a laser grid?"

"Excuse me?"

"What?" Artie shrugged. "A guy can dream, can't he?"

"Do I have your permission?" Artemis held out a finger. "I do not want a repeat of last time."

"Sure," Artie smiled. "But just one thing."

"What?"

"Make your finger glow and say 'ouch' " Artie grinned. "Like in ET."

Artemis frowned and jabbed her son between the eyes.

* * *

_Unlike last time, Artie did not feel like images and knowledge suddenly slammed into his memory like a freight truck. He guessed it felt a lot like Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. He couldn't tell if he was falling or flying as silver lights flicked while darkness swirl around him. Then, just as suddenly as it had left him, Artie felt his feet touch the ground and the darkness faded._

_It took a moment for Artie to realize he was standing in the middle of clearing, deep in a thick forest at night. He looked up the night sky that were full of glittering stars and the full moon. It wasn't until he heard a voice speak that Artie noticed he wasn't alone in the clearing._

_"I, Zoë Nightshade, pledge myself to the goddess Artemis." said the voice._

_He was sharing the clearing with the Hunters of Artemis, though they wore silver greek chitons and cloaks instead of the modern day clothing he was used to see them in. He recognized a few, though he couldn't seem to place their names, and saw they were watching something front of them._

_Artie turned to see Zoë kneeling in front of Artemis._

_"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the hunt." Zoë finished._

_"I accept your pledge." Artemis placed a shoulder on Zoë's shoulder and she looked up. "Rise, Zoë Nightshade, as one of my sisters."_

_Then Artie heard Artemis's voice in his head, I am showing you a piece of my past. No one can see or hear you._

_"How far back is this?" Artie asked, examining the Hunters' clothing._

_ This was when the gods were still in ancient Greece and Zoë had just joined the Hunt. Artie heard in his mind. Far before you or parents were born, but it does pertain to you._

_"How?" Artie waved his hand in front of a blond hunter. "I have an ancestor here or something?"_

_"Watch and see." said Artemis._

_Artie turned to see Zoë being congratulated by the rest of the Hunters. She still looked like Zoë, but the girl in front of him looked so much more happier. This was Zoë before centuries upon centuries of walking the world alongside of Artemis and seeing less than the best of the world had to offer._

_Suddenly a little light, hardly bigger than firefly but significantly brighter, appeared with a familiar voice. "A happy ending I see."_

_In the time it took to even think of blinking, each and every Hunter had their bows in hand with an arrow nocked. Like a SWAT team, they all turned in all directions as they tried to locate the source of the voice. All except Artemis._

_"Stand down everyone." Artemis ordered. "Show yourself, Hermes."_

_The little light grew and stretched, taking the form of a man. When the light died, Hermes was floating a foot off the ground and smiling. Artie had met the god before, and even saw him at the party, but there were slight differences. His hair was pure black and straight instead of the salt-and-pepper and curly. He had a thin goatee that was neatly trimmed while Artie remembered him being clean shaven. He still had his caduceus and winged pith helmet, but he wore a bright white chiton that ended at his knees under a matching white Chlamys and Himation instead of the uniform of a postal worker. On his feet were his signature winged sandals._

_The Hunters imediantly lowered thier bows and hastily knelt, muttering apologies._

_"Forgive them, Hermes." Artemis said. "As much as the forest is their home, it is not always so accommodating."_

_"The fault is partially my own." Hermes opened a leather satchel that hung on his hip. "Your brother, Lord Apollo, has charged me with a message." He began to rummage around in the satchel. "Oh that is right. My apologies, my lady, but the message is a figure of speech. Lord Apollo never put chisel to stone."_

_"Chisel to stone?" Artie asked aloud._

_That is what was used to write messages at the time. Artie heard in his head. Sometimes a metal stylus on wax coated tablets. Hermes was quite happy when humans began writing on paper. As to why he insisted on not erasing the weight of several stone tablets, I do not know._

_"I assume the message is quite important." said Artemis. "Otherwise he would have waited the fortnight and spoken to me at the Council of the Gods._

_"Yes." Hermes nodded. "Lord Apollo request your presence at Ephesus. He claims it is of the utmost urgency."_

_"My temple?"_

_"Yes."_

_"Thank you, Hermes. I will be there shortly. Is there more your require of me? I do not wish to keep you from your other engagements."_

_"No." Hermes inclined his head slightly. "I will see you again during the Council."_

_And with that, Hermes faded from sight._

_Artemis turned to her Hunters, Zoë in particular. "We shall camp her for the night. Zoë, while I am answering my brother's summons, you are to take command of your sisters. See that everything is done properly, establish sentries, and settle any problems that might arise."_

_Zoë straightened and bowed. "As you command, my Lady Artemis."_

_Suddenly, Artie was surrounded by swirling darkness and flickering silver lights. Before Artie could even form a complaint in his mind, the swirling ceased and he stood on a bright white marble floor. He looked around saw the same white marble on columns and shrines as well as various reliefs and carvings. There were several statues, all of Artemis, with altar that were filled with everything from bits of silver to cures hides and cuts of deer and other game. Artie even caught the scent of wild herbs and incense in the air as he followed Artemis to the main altar, the one with the largest and most extravagant in the whole temple._

_The statue was almost was large as the room that held it, just under twenty-five feet tall. Normally Artemis prefered the form of a young girl, but sculptors opted to depict her as a ypung woman with a stoic face and shoulder length hair waving in the wind and a short skirt. In the statue's hand was the most beautifully crafted bow, drawn back with an arrow on the string, held down towards the floor as if the statue was on the alert for an attack. At the statue's feet was doe nursing a baby fawn while a large stag stood behind her looking off to the west._

_At the altar, stood two people. One was a young woman. She had large eyes the color of wild moss. Her luxurious, wavy, blond hair was adorned with silver and gold chains. She was thin as a reed, but she did not look starved. Her figure suggested she was grown woman, but just barely. Her clothes were bone with borders of alternating green and silver. She wore a peplos that fell to her ankles, with golden brooches for shoulder clasps and upper part folded down to the waist to form an apoptygma. On her feet hand made Greek leather sandals._

_On her left, wearing similarly elegant clothes, was Apollo. Artie guessed once Apollo found a look he liked, he stuck with it. He still looked about eighteen with sandy blond hair, a bright cocky smile, and outdoorsy good look. Artie half expected that his chariot was parked outside, in the form of a Maserati Spyder._

_"I see Hermes did not delay." Apollo smiled. "Greetings, little sister."_

_"We have been arguing this for centuries, brother." Artemis frowned. "Never mind that. Why such urgency?"_

_"Have you met my latest Oracle?" Apollo motioned to the blond girl. "Euadne, this is Lady Artemis, goddess of the Hunt."_

_Euadne bowed deeply. "My lady."_

_"A pleasure." Artemis then spoke to her brother. "Why did you summon me?"_

_Apollo shifted uncontrollably. "You would not believe me even if I were to swear on the Styx. You know how prophecies are never directly clear, but some of the lines are difficult to see any other way."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"It was on my behalf, Lady Artemis." Euadne said nervously. "I had vision. A vision concerning you and your future."_

_"A good future, I hope?" Artemis raised an eyebrow question._

_"That is for you to decide, Lady Artemis." Euadne said quickly. "I am merely the conduit the spirit of the original Oracle speaks through."_

_"So no shooting the messenger." Apollo joked. "She has been my Oracle for hardly a year now."_

_"I will keep that in mind." Artemis gestured with a hand. "Let us hear this prophecy, Euadne."_

_Artie had kept silent as listened intently. He was still wondering how a prophecy given to Artemis before the god left Greece, when people still used horses and films had to be invented, could have anything to do with him in the modern era with inventions that Greeks would swear on the Styx was magic._

_He watched as Euadne opened her mouth and thick green smoke crept out. The green mist swirled and formed a vague image of a baby. The mist then swirled to show a small child running. As the child ran, sometimes dropping to all fours like an animal, he grew larger and gained what looked like weapons like a bow followed by a shield and spear. The boy continued running and was join by others, also gaining weapons, until he was leading a group of warriors. The image then began all over again and Artemis, more importantly Artie, heard the voice of the Oracle._

_A child of the moon the world will see._

_From mortal birth and death he shall come to be_

_Thickest of forests and wildest river shall be his home_

_Taught not by elders, familiars, or tome_

_When Olympus is in dire need _

_He will raise the walls of Sparta and their enemies will heed_

_Thrice he will enter Hades and thrice he shall rise_

_But love's peril in battle will be his demise._

_The green mist ceased swirling and quickly receded from where it came, leaving Artemis staring dumbfounded with her mouth agape. Euadne seemed to regain herself and sank into her knees. Apollo was switching his gaze between his sister and his oracle._

_"Euadne," Artemis said very slowly as if it was taking a great amount of effort to contain herself. "I think it best you leave us. I wish to speak with my brother."_

_"I agree." Apollo said hastily and directed Euadne. "Go now and return to Delphi. You will find a chariot waiting for you just outside of the temple. Speak of this to no one."_

_"I swear on the Styx." Euadne said carefully. "Lest I am given permission."_

_"I would not count on that occurring anytime soon." Artemis said, her eyes watching Euadne like lion watches a gazelle. "Not in your lifetime at least."_

_Artie watched as Euadne quickly hurried to leave the temple. Judging from the echoes of her feet on the hard marble floor, she broke into a sprint the second she was out of eye shot. He watched Artemis, the past version, with curiosity. He had never toyed with the idea that Artemis had created him because her biological clock was ticking. For one thing, she was a goddess and, ignoring her vow, did not have a window of time to have children like mortal women. Ever since he was claimed, an idea formed in the back of his head. Not an idea, more like inkling. He had no proof one way or the other and he never thought to ask, but Artie had feeling Artemis had created him for a reason, to fulfill some purpose._

_"Please tell me this is some joke Aphrodite tricked you into playing on me." Artemis hissed. "If that is the reason for such insult, you've had your amusement and confess."_

_"Insult?" Apollo repeated. "How is — "_

_"Are you deaf as well as mentally deficient?!" Artemis snapped. "Did you not hear the first line of that prophecy?" Artemis spat. "A child of the moon the world will see?"_

_"That could mean anything, sister." Apollo said calmly._

_"For example?" Artemis said impatiently._

_"From mortal birth and death he shall come to be." Apollo recited. "Lady Hera chose a mortal champion to carry her will, Jason. It is not beyond reason that this child of the moon could be a mortal man whom you have chosen to aid, for some great service to you or out of pity."_

_That seemed to calm Artemis, somewhat. "Perhaps, but are you sure it is a man? I am patron to all maidens as you are to young boys."_

_"As to why, I am not sure. You correct it does not seem like you to chose a male champion, but note the wording." Apollo said thoughtfully. "He shall, his home, he will, his demise. While I am patron to them, this boy's patron shall be you."_

_"This cannot happen." Artemis shook her head defiantly. "For me to break my vow, a vow not even Aphrodite can compel me to break, it would be a disgrace."_

_A lump formed in Artie throat._

_"I'm glad you are thinking of your possible son — "_

_"That is another thing!" Artemis squeaked. "To think I would shatter my oath, bear a child, and the child was my son rather my daughter." Artemis began to breath deeply to calm herself._

_"Calm yourself, sister." Apollo said soothingly. "While I am sure we are missing a crucial detail to how this child shall come to be your, is the thought of having a son so abhorrent?"_

_"How can you even mused such a notion?!" Artemis demanded. "You and every male god on Olympus cannot seem to focus if there is a beautiful woman in your sight, to say nothing of mortal men." She then pointed to sky. "And that misbegotten bastard son of Poseidon, whose name I will not utter if I can help it, is the worst of them all. I shutter to think if I had not arrived in time to save the Hunters I had sent to merely fetch some provisions that he ambushed." Artemis was being to glow with anger. "If not for a wood nymph whom occupied in a tree nearby thought to warn me, he have forced me to watch, to show what he planned for me, on innocent maidens whom were barely out of childhood!"_

_"Perhaps we should seek out Athena." Apollo suggested. "She might be able to decipher the meaning. At the very least, she could can provide alternate interpretation and we can make provisions — "_

_"No!" Artemis looked scared. "No one can know of this."_

_"But — "_

_"No. One. Can. Know. Of. This." Artemis repeated carefully. "If it were to come to light, it would be the end of me. Everyone would assume that . . . that . . . that . . ."_

_"That misbegotten bastard of a son won in the end." Apollo sighed. "Alright. As you wish, none but Euadne and us will know of this prophecy until it comes to pass."_

_"Thank you." Artemis whispered._

* * *

Before Artie could begin to piece things together, darkness and silver lights swirled once more.

In the time it took to exhale, Artie found himself sitting across from Artemis again.

"Now you see." Artemis said.

"I saw alright." Artie growled and stood. "I saw I was right."

"Right?"

"That you didn't want me." Artie snapped.

"That was — "

"I don't even why I'm even surprised anymore. The story of my life." Artie began walking away. "You, everyone at Camp Half Blood, even Maria and Jacob didn't want me at first."

"You do not understand." Artemis said.

"Understand?" Artie threw his sunglasses and pointed to himself. "Look me in the eye and tell me you didn't do everything you could to avoid creating me."

Artemis stayed silent.

"I knew it." Artie said. "That's why you waited so long. You spent centuries fighting that prophecy." He pointed to the goddess. "How many boys did turn into jacklopes because you thought they might be me?"

"That's it!" Artemis shot up. "I've had enough. I am a goddess and I do not have to listen to this. Especially from an insolent child who will not listen."

"I won't listen?!" Artie sneered. "When did you ever listen to me? How many times did you ignore me as I prayed for help? I get the other gods would ignore me, but you? Now I know, you were just waiting to see if Thorn would actually finish the job. That way no one would ever see, or even think, that the great Artemis had broken her oath. "

"Your mother was one of my Hunters." Artemis said.

Artie wouldn't have been more shocked if Zeus himself had used his master bolt.

He closed his mouth and shook his head as if he wasn't sure he had heard correctly. "What?"

"The mortal woman who was your mother, the same one who sacrificed herself along with her husband, joined the Hunt when she was sixteen." Artemis motioned to the chair across from her. "If you can contain your anger long enough, I will you tell you."

Artie wasn't sure. "What does she have to do with your prophecy?"

"Sit and I will explain." Artemis said gently. "I promise you. She is a great part of the prophecy."

Artie sighed and trudged back to the table.

"I'm all ears." Artie motioned for Artemis to start.

"As you saw, I received that prophecy when we were at the height of our power in Greece." Artemis began. "You were right. I did fight against it for several centuries, up until we moved to America." Artemis held up a hand when Artie tried to speak. "For reasons unknown, there are mortals that can see through the Mist, you're mother was one of them."

"I met one at the Hoover Dam." Artie said. "She could see Percy's sword and my armor."

Artemis nodded. "She joined the Hunt sometime during the 1950's. From what I recall, her father was drunk that regularly beat her mother. One night he drank too much and ran the car off a bridge upon returning from a restaurant. Naturally, the authorities put her in foster care. Something occurred in one of the homes. She never said exactly, but suffice to say one of the boys had mistaken the level of thier relationship as something more than it was. She took off into the woods that were on the outskirts of town."

"She ran into you." Artie guessed.

"Yes." Artemis nodded again. "Zoë overheard crying as she returned from a hunt and discovered her trying to start a fire. She convinced your mother to accompany her back to camp. I noticed she could see through the Mist and after she explained how she came to be alone in the woods, I offered her to join the Hunt and she accepted."

"Alright." Artie asked, still not convinced. "If she joined the Hunters then how was I born?"

"I am getting to that." Artemis explained. "She was a Hunter until she met your father roughly a decade later." Artemis paused as if to recall. "Your father was one of ten children. At roughly seventeen, he saw his parents struggling to feed so many mouths. With little options, he decided to leave. One of his uncles had been an avid hunter and taught him well. So much so, he made a living wandering the woods and sold hides and meat at trading posts and sent any surplus to his family."

"So I'm guessing he just walked right into your camp and it was love at first sight?" Artie shrugged.

"You are half right." Artemis corrected. "I assume solitude took its toll on your father and found a companion in a stray coonhound. It was that very coonhound that wandered away from him in the middle of the night. Your father awoke to find him missing and tracked his companion through the wilderness. He found him late in the night as he laid curled against your mother whom had made camp for the night."

"What was she doing alone?" Artie asked.

"While I advise them against it, a Hunter will wander off every now and then." Artemis shrugged. "I assume she was tracking a deer and merely lost track of how far she had wandered. From what she told me, she must have passed their camp and dog went to investigate. Once it decided she was not a threat, it presumed to play with her."

"She must have a way with animals." Artie remarked. "Or my father wasn't really good at training a dog."

"I think it was a little of both as the dog was still a pup." Artemis continued. "Unfortunately, Zoë miscounted and reported all of the Hunters were present and we broke camp and treked north, leaving your mother behind." Artemis smiled slightly. "In a way, Zoë is responsible for your birth."

Artie found himself chuckling, "And my parents? How did my mother react when she met my father."

"She shot him in leg with an arrow." Artemis said. "The coonhound heard your father approaching and barked. On instinct, your mother fired an arrow into a bush and your father fell into sight. Regrettably, his hunting rifle went off and shot her in the leg."

Artie chuckled and muttered to himself. "Still a better love story than Twilight."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"They agreed to let bygones be bygones and shared supplies to treat thier wounds." Artemis continued. "Despite your mother's protests, and threats, he convinced her that their chances were better for survival if they traveled together. They spent the next two weeks following our trail and your mother began to question her assumptions of men. Not once did he make an advance other than to huddle close by a small fire during the cold nights. She eventually became comfortable enough with him to share her past and so did he." Artemis frowned slightly. "They hunted together, played together, fought off predators together, I suppose it was inevitable that they developed feelings for each other."

"So what happened?" Artie asked. "You kicked her out?"

"I have done that in the past when Hunter broke their pledge to me, but not her." Artemis sighed. "She did what no other had done before."

"What?"

"She thanked me for everything and politely asked to leave." Artemis shook her head smiling. "She walked right into camp, your father following close behind and looking like a frighten rabbit in a wolf's den, and asked for an audience with me. She explained what had occurred and asked for my blessing to leave."

"And you let her go?"

"Yes." Artemis nodded. "It has happened before, Hunters falling in love with men, but they wished to have their cake and eat it too. Your mother knew she could either stay with her sisters and be immortal or she could grow old with your father, but she could not have both. She chose a normal mortal life with your father." Artemis almost sounded envious, but Artie knew not to say anything. "Since she had served me well and kept her vow, I released her from her pledge and wished her the best of luck." Artemis smiled fondly at Artie. "She never forgot her time and the lessons she learned. She sought to continue honoring me and began fighting against poaching of endangered species, but it was your father who thought to name their only child, you, after me."

"So that's why you were in the forest when they were being hunted." Artie realized. "You were keeping an eye on her."

"Yes." said the goddess. "I was oddly curious to how things turned out."

"Because no Hunter that left the Hunt has ever had a happy ending?"

"Because no Hunter had left the Hunt without my blessing." she corrected. "All others before her broke thier pledge and were punished for trying to deceive me. All they simple needed to do was what your mother had done, thank me for the opportunity and request permission to leave. I do not want Hunters that are not completely committed to the Hunt."

"So you were watching her," Artie frowned. "Why didn't you stop the hitman before they were killed?"

"I only stayed for a few minutes at a time." She answered. "After so much time without incident, my visits began to wane. It had been almost five years since I last saw them. It was not until that I sensed her life begin to fade that felt a disturbance."

"A disturbance?" Artie asked.

"I have a connection to all my Hunters. It seemed that, however faint, enough of that connection remained to alert me." Artemis sounded forlorn and stared at her hands. "As you know, I did not arrive in time to save them. Their souls were barely in the realm in the living and on the edge of entering Hades'." She looked up at Artie. "I fully admit to not wanting a child, even then. All that I wished to do was to honor the dying wish of one of the most remarkable Hunters that I had the privilege to know."

"When did you figure it out?" Artie asked gently. "That you fulfilled the first part of the prophecy."

"About a week later." Artemis said. "The prophecy had not even crossed my mind until I discovered that your mother had been an only child and every single one of your father's relatives were dead."

"So you gave me to Apollo." Artie continued. "To hide me.

"Yes, but little did I know that would be fulfilling the second part of the prophecy." Artemis asked. "You know which part I mean?"

"Yeah," Artie nodded. "_Thickest of forests and wildest river shall be his home. Taught not by elders, familiars, or tome_." Artie thought back to his time in Rio. "Most of Brazil is covered by the Amazon Rainforest. From what Annabeth told me, it's over one point seven billion acres and is part of nine countries. Most call it a jungle, but its really a forest."

"Yes." Artemis nodded. "And the river that flows through it is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest waterflow."

"And I learned the hard way to survive." Artie said.

"Yes. Only with your body and mind." Artemis nodded. "When Thorn attacked your family and I realized you were truly the child of the prophecy, I had no choice but to let it play out." She began speaking with her hands. "You must understand. I wanted nothing more to intervene, to end your suffering, but I could do nothing more than watch. At best, I was able to nudge you farther and farther north using Tobias."

Artie said nothing and neither did Artemis. Artie turned over everything he had learned, which was quite immense, and began to process. Artie wasn't sure how to proceed. All his life, before Artemis thoroughly explained everything, Artie thought teh this goddess did not care for him. She admitted to not wanting him at first, even going as far to fight a prophecy foretelling his birth for centuries, and she did nothing as he fought to survive both Thorn and the dangers of the jungle. Then he considered everything she had done. She had claimed him, an act the members of Cabin Eleven prayed for. Then, both on his quest and his journey to camp, had given him weapons only a chosen few ever saw let alone used. While Hephastus' letter said different, Artie had a feeling that Artemis had convinced him to part with several bars of moonsilver so Artie could have a one of a kind set of armor not even the Hunters could boast. She apolgized, no small feat for a god, and sought to make a peace offering by telling him the story of how his parents met. And finally, which he still had trouble wrapping his mind around, she had not only claimed he was eqaul to the heroes of old — Hercules, Daedalus, Orion, — but she made the first and only King of the Hunt second only to her.

"Please," Artemis was almost pleading. "Say something."

"Am I the only one?" Artie asked. "Am I your only child?"

"Yes." said the goddess. "You are the first and only child of Artemis. Why do you ask?"

"Because if I find out that, whether I figure it out or someone tells me, that I went through all that and everything I lost for nothing, I don't think I could ever forgive you." Artie stood from the table and extended hand. "If you can swear on the Styx that everything you told me is true, that there was nothing you could do and it was foretold in prophecy, then I willing to start clean."

Artemis stood and looked down at Artie's hand.

"Deal?" Artie asked.

Artemis did not shake his hand — she wrapped her arms around and embraced him. Artie was surprised for a moment then smiled and returned the hug. Time seemed to stand still and neither said a word, frightened of ruining the moment. But it had to be and Artie spoke.

"I'll take that as a yes." Artie looked down and asked. "But the rest of the prophecy is still nagging me. Not the Hades part but the Olympus in dire need and the walls of Sparta. And why did you nudge me north?"

"There are other half blood out there, Apollo couldn't be the only one to travel, but there was a greater chance, however still slim, you could meet other half bloods and reach camp. . " Artemis looked up at him. "As for the walls of Sparta, I do not know."

"If I remember, they mainly worshiped Ares right?" Artie sensed an answer, one that Athena had been hinting at. "While Athens worshiped Athena?"

"Yes. They wisely worshiped all gods, including me, but it was to Ares they prayed to for victory in their campaigns."

"I thought so." Artie began walking back toward the party that was still going on strong.

"What are you going to do?" Artemis called to him.

"Exactly what Marv did in Sin City when he wanted answers" Artie back to smile. "Find someone who knows more than me and ask."


	25. Athena Always Always Has A Plan

Artie saw that no one had noticed Artemis take him aside. Demigods and minor godlings danced to music played by the Muses. Some were seated at small cafe tables, eating and flirting, while stood with goblets in hand and talked. Artie saw Poseidon speaking with Percy and Zeus with Thalia. Grover was muttering over goblet, he didn't want to know. Athena was chatting with Demeter and they seemed to be sharing a joke. And Hephaestus was building a very accurate scale model of the Eiffel Tower out of silverware.

"Looking for your brother?" asked a sweet motherly voice. "After what you went through to get him, I doubt you want him to leave your sight.

Artie turned to see a tall, graceful, and very beautiful woman. Her hair was silver and was woven into a braid with gold ribbons. She wore a simple, yet elegant, white dress that rippled like oil on water when she moved. Her eyes were the color of warm chocolate and Artie found himself feeling quite soothed and safe. Suddenly the music changed from big band swing to gentle harps in perfect harmony.

"Queen Hera," Artie inclined his head deeply.

"King Artemis." Hera inclined her head as well, though it was more of a slight dip at best. "I know you prefer Artie, but it just does not have the same ring to it if you ask me. What do you think?"

"What's one more to the list?" Artie shrugged.

"Hmm, yes. I had forgotten." she smiled warmly. "So many names. Artemis Raposo Gallezi, Artie, Bane of Manticores, Spartan of the Forrest, The Foxy Archer, and now King Of The Hunt. You truly are your mother's son."

Artie understood. One of the many things that demigods learned at camp were the history of each god of Olympus. Artie thought back to what he remembered reading.

When she was three years old, Artemis asked her father, Zeus, to grant her a wish. She asked for a silver bow and to be called many different names. While most only knew Artemis her Greek name or roman name, Diana, Artie knew every single one. Agrotora, Potnia Theron, Kourotrophos, Locheia — ever single one a name mortals gave to her or ones she chose.

"Lady Hera?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"Is there something you wanted?"

"Only to chat for a moment. It's not every day I actually am happy with the result of my husband's affairs. I'm sure you remember how your mother and uncle came to be?"

"Um, you said Leto was forbidden from having them on earth?"

"It still rubs me the wrong way, but considering are not a direct result I don't see why we can't be civil." She gave him a warm smile. "As you know, I am the goddess of familial love. You must be very happy to have yours back after so long."

"More than happy." Artie responded.

"While I'm certain you thought otherwise, do not think you were without aid. It was me who saved you from that Talos contraption and it was I that sent your uncle to cure you after you bout with that nasty manticore. Had I not done so, you would be in the Underworld now and your brother on the side of Titans."

"Why didn't you save Bianca?" Artie asked. "She was less than five feet from me."

"I see you still blame yourself for her fate. A word of caution, Artie. Things can and will happen regardless of you do or don't do. I know of your flaw as well." Hera laid a hand on his shoulder. "As for Bianca, trust me when I tell you that it was for the best. She did not belong."

"Belong?"

"Let us forget such unpleasantness." Hera waved a hand dismissively. "You are alive, your brother is alive and the right side, and you have been granted a title no hero before you has been given. Artie, my dear, surely you see how I've helped. I would welcome a sacrifice for my efforts."

Artie wanted more than to tell her off, but he knew better. He could have promise to sacrifice his next deer in Hera's name and leave it at that, but he had a better idea. It would kill two birds with one stone. Hera would have her sacrifice and she would learn not underestimate Artie.

"You're right, Queen Hera. I wouldn't have survived without you. As for Bianca . . . I'll take your word for it." Artie reached into pouch on his belt. "I'm sure you it's been a while since someone handed one of these to you. Here."

Lady Hera, the queen of Olympus, stared at the Golden Apple in Artie's hand. "How did you . . ."

"Ladon was nice enough to let me have one since I cut his chains. After so many centuries, he really wanted to stretch his wings." Artie bowed low and held out the apple. "I was planning on giving this to Appolonia, but I don't think she'll mind. You are a goddess after all."

Hera took the apple and motioned for Artie to stand.

"I thank you for your gift." Hera said. "Now if you'll excuse me, there are things I must see to."

Artie watched Hera as she walked away, the crowd parting to let her through. Then he began looking around, looking for Jacob. Hera had been right about that. Artie was not about let Jacob out of his sight. He almost missed him, if the girls Jacob had talked to before had caught sight of him, smiled and quickly walked away. Then Artie saw, sitting at a table tucked in the corner, Jacob listening as Apollo spoke to him. Thalia had mentioned Apollo wanting to speak with him, but Artie wasn't certain.

Then he heard a loud thud mixed rattling glass.

Artie turned to his left, as did everyone for a moment, to see the god of war arm wrestling with two large demigods that seemed to be made of muscle, at the same time.

Artie rolled his eyes and walked over. Like it had when Hera spoke to him, the music switched. Now Artie heard, a song he first heard at the end of Ella Enchanted, was Elton John and Kiki Dee's Don't Go Breaking My Heart. Artie noticed she had changed clothes, she was wearing a pink business suit during the council, and she was now a redhead instead of a blond. Percy had mentioned how she had changed her appearance as she spoke with him and Artie guessed it part of her magic. Aphrodite was changing to suit his taste, or rather what he thought as beautiful. He could see parts of Appolonia, the shape of her eyes and the curve of her ears, but it was mixed with lots of actresses he had a crush on in their prime, Marilyn Monroe and Katherine Hepburn to name a couple.

Aphrodite was wearing, what he guess actresses would wear on the red carpet, a crimson red dress that had three strategically misplaced pieces. Those pieces, one on either side to display the world's most perfect curves and the third to show off her navel, would not be missed. Like her children at Camp Half Blood, her make up and hair were perfect and went flawlessly with pearl earrings and ruby necklace. While Artie wasn't familiar shoes, especially women's shoes, he guessed those high heels were enough to buy a small country before she had them studded with rubies and diamonds.

Ares was more or less dressed as usual. He wore black jeans, combat boots, a leather duster, and muscle shirt with a bulletproof vest and an iron padlock necklace. Like Artie, Ares' eye were behind ed tinted wraparound sunglasses, but Artie didn't have flame-filled eye sockets.

Aphrodite smiled when he approached and stood next to her. "My lady."

"Oh hello, Artie." Then she squealed in delight and held a piece of his cloak. "Oh my gosh! Is that real Ceryneian hide?"

"I don't know." Artie said honestly. "It was just a jacket I made from a plain deer hide before Artemis turned it into a cloak."

"Oh I should have guessed." Aphrodite pouted. "Your mother is very touchy about those hinds of hers. She wouldn't even let me have one as pet. Maybe you could put in a word for me? We've never seen eye to eye, but maybe she'll have a change of heart."

"Um, sure." Artie shrugged.

"Oh thank you." Then to his surprise, Aphrodite hugged him. "And don't think I'll let you do this for free."

"That's alright. You don't have to." Artie quickly protested. "I'm not even sure she'll say yes."

"Oh nonsense." She giggled and winked. "I always remember those who do me a favor, even small ones, especially ones as cute as a jack rabbit."

"Wait! What?!" Ares barked.

Probably not their best decisions, otherwise they would have known better, the two demigods took advantage of the distraction and pinned both of Ares' arms to the table and won the match. Ares eyed them and they took the hint, leaving quickly but respectively.

"What was that about?" Ares growled.

"Oh, I was just offering sweet Artie a reward for speaking to Artemis for me." She winked.

"Which I politely said she didn't have to." Artie quickly added.

"What kind of reward?" Ares asked hotly.

"Well, I was thinking of giving him a make over. He just became a king and he should look the part." Aphrodite ran her delicate finger through his hair. "But now I'm thinking something . . . more . . . mutually enjoyable." She gave both of them a looked that implied much.

"Um, Lady Aphrodite?" Artie gulped. "Not that I'm really flattered, but I'm — "

"His majesty here is spoken for." Ares chuckled. "One of Apollo's girls he saved."

"Oh really now." She smiled mischievously. "Is she prettier than me?"

"Yeah, your highness." Ares leaned forward in his chair so he wouldn't miss Aphrodite blasting him into bits. "What does your girl have that a goddess don't?"

"Nothing." Artie knew a trap when he saw one. "But we're both spoken for." Artie peaked out of the corner of his eye to see Hephaestus still fiddling with silverware, now working on Leaning Tower of Pisa. "You are married after all."

"That is true." She said like it was an inconvenient fact.

"Hasn't stopped me." Ares winked.

"Well, only the toughest of toughest would think of getting Hephaestus mad." Artie said respectively. "That's where you definitely got me beat."

"And don't you forget it." Ares smiled.

"But back to the question at hand." Aphrodite brought a finger under Artie's chin and bent low, staring lovingly into his eyes and asked sweetly. "If I wasn't married and you didn't have your sweet little girlfriend, who isn't one of my wonderful daughters, would you — "

"Ah, Aphrodite," said Artemis from Artie's left, smiling politely. "I was looking for you."

"Oh, hello, Artemis." Aphrodite rolled her eyes and stood straight. "Did you want something?"

"Actually, yes I did." Artemis said as a matter of fact. "It seems I am need of your expertise. Come, I'll explain over some nectar."

"You need my expertise?" Aphrodite was confused for a moment then smiled. "Alright." She turned Artie and gave him a peck on the cheek. "To be continued, but before I go . . ." Suddenly a gold ring with a ruby red rose appeared in her hand. "Here, Artie. Remember even the most beautiful rose has thorns."

Artie watched, wishing he could tear his gaze away, as Aphrodite slinked away. He noticed several other demigods, and a god or two, turn to watch as well. He felt a surge of jealousy, but shook his head to clear it. He forced himself to remember it was only her aura and his feelings weren't his own. Then he looked down at the ring she gave him. No doubt the band was made of the most expensive gold that could be found and the ruby was cut so perfectly to resemble a rose only Hephaestus could have carved it. He carefully slipped it into his belt.

"Don't get any ideas, your highness." Ares growled.

Suddenly the music changed again. Now it was some sort of heavy metal. Jacob would later tell him it was Pantera's Walk, but that wasn't what annoyed him. If Aphrodite wanted him, then what business was of this jerk? If he didn't back down fighting Atlas, he wasn't about to back down to this sorry excuse for a war god. Artie shook his head again, now it was Ares' aura, and it was making him just itching for a fight.

He sucked in a breath. "Wouldn't dream of it." He sat down in front of the god of war, Ares.

"What?" He laughed. "You wanna arm wrestle the god of war?"

"No." Artie leaned forward. "I wanted to ask you something?"

"Let me guess, swordsmanship training?" Ares smirked. "You're smart to come to me. If you wanna be the best, you gotta learn from the best." Ares fold his arms and leaned back. "First tip, get yourself a better weapon than that flimsy piece of silver."

"I'll keep that mind, but I didn't come to you for that." Then Artie relented so not to insult him. "Maybe some other time, I could definitely use any help you could give me."

"Go on." Ares said.

"What are the walls of Sparta?"

"Now there's something I haven't heard a mortal say in centuries." Ares picked up a goblet from a nearby table and it filled with magically with nectar. "Not since the gods were in Greece."

"What are they?" Artie asked again. "Who built them?"

"No one." Ares sipped from the goblet.

"What are you talking about?" Artie said. "Walls just don't pop up. Someone has to build them."

"They ain't actual walls." Ares grinned. "You hear ever of the agoge?"

"No, I haven't."

"That's funny, considering my kids call you the 'Spartan' of the forest." Ares motioned to him. "In a way, you're the only who's actually gone through it in centuries."

"Okay." Artie made a hold up gesture. "I'm sure you're getting to it, but what does this agoge and me have to to with the walls of Sparta?"

"The agoge was what the people of Sparta called the training program for their army." Ares paused to drink. "I don't see why you're trying to bore me with ancient history. That's my nerd of a sister Athena's shtick."

"Well if you don't know . . ." Artie made show of standing to walk away.

"Sit down!" snapped Ares. "I know everything there is to know about Sparta. What do you wanna know?"

"Well, for starters, what actually was the agoge?"

"Like I said, training regimen." Ares smiled fondly. " Basically it was a system to teach solders things they would need to fight and be the best at it. The training taught 'em things like stealth, loyalty, and hunting, but what it really taught to keep going well after lesser warrior would give up and die."

"How to take a hit." Artie translated.

"Exactly!" Ares agreed. "No point in teaching someone how to fight if they cry like babies every time they get a paper cut."

"And what did you mean I went through it?"

"Well you sissy mortals gave up the practice years ago. You got soft." Ares growled. "To have the best soldiers, you have to start young. At the age of seven is when most were enrolled. From there the next two decades, provided you survived, would not be pleasant."

"Survived?"

"This wasn't an aerobics tape that you could pop in and out. It was a way of life." snapped the god of war. "These kids were intentionally underfed and under supplied, forcing them to learn to steal food to survive. It was so during war, when food could become scarce if a supply train was cut, you had warriors that could tough it out. It was also to teach 'em how to steal." Then Ares laughed. "But boy you did not want to be caught. Some of those punishments would rival the fields of punishment."

"So how did I go through it if mortal stopped doing it?"

"I never said you went through the actual trials." Ares smiled proudly. "When you were tossed out into the wild on your keister, with hardly more than knife, you basically had two choices. Toughen up and live or give up and die. That's basically what agoge boiled down to. If you lived through it, then you earned the right to call yourself a spartan."

"Now back to my original question." Artie said. "What are the walls of Sparta."

"One of my kids, Lycurgus, saw how pathetic the army had gotten so he had the walls demolished." Ares smiled proudly. "Said those walls were making the city soft. The people were letting their guard down. Naturally, the people argued and begged to have the walls back, the pansies, and do you know what my boy said?"

"No idea."

"He agreed, but under one condition." Ares could barely contain himself. "He pointed to a bunch of kids wrestling, fighting over a ball or something, and said the wusses could have their precious walls back, but those boys would be the walls."

"So the walls of Sparta are actually . . ."

"The soldiers themselves." Ares said proudly. "So rough and tough that nothing could get through 'em. The best defensive walls known to mortal man."

"So if someone wanted to raise the walls of Sparta," Artie asked. "What would that mean?"

"Don't know." Ares shrugged. "Maybe someone wanted to bring my boys back. We could use 'em now that the Titans are aching for a fight, but I doubt Hades would let 'em out to stretch their legs." Ares looked over to see Aphrodite returning, alone. "We're done here."

"But — "

"You wanna know more?" Ares stood from the table. "Find your Aunty Athena."

Artie resisted the urge to demand the god sit back down and tell him more, Ares' aura was effecting him again, and sighed. "Alright. Thanks for talking to me, Lord Ares, and offering me to teach how swing a sword the right way."

"Sure whatever." Ares reached into his pocket and tossed something to the demigod. "Here, something tells me you'll be needing this."

Artie caught three large pieces of metal. When he looked down he saw he was holding a pair of brass knuckles. They were very large, he could have slipped both hands into a single one, and were celestial bronze instead. The third was a hand shovel,he had seen the children of Demeter use them, with a Chinese symbol on the head. Artie had the feeling that even though Ares had given them to him, they weren't met for him. Like Aphrodite's ring, he slipped them into his belt.

"Lord Ares, why did you — " Artie looked up to see the war god swaggering to Aphrodite.

"Allow me to guess." said a voice behind him. "My brother was less than polite?"

Artie turned to see another goddess, one he had seen twice in the past two days. It was the same goddess that had given him the vial of nectar and drakon fluid. Now , instead of a lab coat with her hair tied back, she wore an elegant sky blue dress and her dark black hair had been braided and adorned with silver and gold. She was also very beautiful, but more like Hera than Aphrodite. When Ares left he took the heavy metal with him. Now, with this new goddess, Artie heard classical music from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. He knew that from watching the movie Amadeus where Tom Hulce played the genius.

"Lady Athena." Artie smiled and bowed his head deeply.

"King Artemis." Athena inclined her head slightly, like Hera. "Congratulations on your new title."

"Thanks." Artie motioned to table. "Would you like a seat?"

"Thank you." Athena regarded Artie for a moment. "Go ahead."

"What?"

"I've seen that face on mortals for eons." Athena smiled. "You seek knowledge."

"More like an explanation." Artie said. "Do you remember what you asked me? What I would do if a source of water had dried up?"

"Yes." Athena's eye twinkled with excitement. "Simply look somewhere else. There is always water somewhere else."

"Water, in this case, being demigods." Artie concluded.

"Yes."

"Then you know about my prophecy." Artie guessed. "Or rather my mother's prophecy about me."

"Your uncle came to me with it some ago and I came up with several scenarios. I'm not sure why your mother wished to keep it a secret, but it was her right." Athena said proudly. "As I had guessed, one is showing more promise than the others. Luckily for you, it is the one that was easiest to plan for." Athena slid a piece of paper across the table. "Here, I have spent quite some time constructing this."

Artie picked it up and studied it for a moment, all of it gibberish. "What is it?"

"It doesn't make sense now and it won't as long as it is in the western world." Athena pointed to the paper. "Only Hecate can break the spell and she is not aware that list exists."

"A list?" Artie asked. "A list of what?"

"Names and locations." Athena said cryptically. "If understand your prophecy and what it entails, than that list will save you precious time."

"Thank you, Lady Athena." Artie said sincerely. "For everything."

"Don't thank me yet." Athena said grimly. "We still have no idea what the enemy is planning. Better to prepare for the worst and hope for the best."

"I couldn't agree more." Artie carefully folded the paper and placed it in his belt. "I think I'm starting to get why everyone is handing me gifts."

"They are aware that I have a plan in place, but not exactly what." Athena winked. "If anyone asks, they are birthday presents for the King of the Hunt's coming of age." Athena held a hand and a black cane appeared in her hand. "That reminds me. You will certainly need this. Do not forget to speak with the rest of counsel, but remember to not let on. We do not know if we have spied in our midst or not."

Artie took the cane. It was plain black wood with an iron tip. Rather than a curved head, the cane was straight with an owl perched on an olive branch for a decorative head piece. From head to to tip it was about three feet long and shined as if recently polished.

"I make sure of that." Artie said firmly. "Is there anything else?"

"Have you changed your mind about how you see my daughter?" Athena asked. "Do you still see her as a sister?"

"Yes." Artie wished he could said other wise, if only to make Athena happy, but he didn't. "I love your daughter, but as a friend and I think that's all she sees me as too."

"I figured as much." Athena stood. "Now please excuse me. I need a word with your friend Percy."

Artie chuckled and shook head as Athena left, not envying Percy a single bit. He stood, whispered into his goblet to refill it, and picked his way through the crowd to Hephaestus, god of fire and forges, who had demolished his scale model of the Eiffel Tower and Leaning Tower in order to build a surprisingly accurate model of the Taj Mahal.

The last time Artie had seen the smith, roughly four years ago, he was less than presentable. Normally he was a large man with his shoulders at different heights and a huge, bulging, misshapen head and his leg in a steel brace, with a wild brown beard that sparks fire from time to time. Now he was wearing, instead of an oil stained jumpsuit with his name embroidered over the pocket, he wore clean denim overalls over pristine white long sleeve shirt. His leg still had a brace, but it did not look like pieces of scrap metal jimmy-rigged together like it normally did. He was still wearing work boots, but they were brand new and polished. Even his beard, which still sparked and smoked in spots, was cleaner looking and was braided like dwarves in countless fantansy movies Artie had seen.

"Hello, Lord Hephaestus." Artie said warmly, taking a seat across from the god and noted the music had changed to Flight of the Valkeries.

"Hey," Hephaestus grunted, barely coherent. "Congrats on the whole king thing or whatever."

"Thanks." Artie said. "I wanted to thank you for the bike."

"Huh?" Hephaestus paused and looked the demigod. "Say again?"

"Apollo told me you designed and built my motorcycle." Artie repeated. "I wanted to say thanks. For that and quiver."

"And hows that quiver working out?" Hephaestus studied his model and held his hand. "Hand me that fork to your left, would you?"

"The quiver has saved my life more times than I can count along with the armor." Artie handed the god the fork. "Between the both of them, I couldn't pick just one to keep."

"Armor?" The god placed the fork on the southern wall before he looked Artie over. "Hmm, not bad. Glad to see someone made use of that silver. No one ever wants to use it, though I can't really blame 'em." Hephaestus motioned for another piece of silverware.

"Yep." Artie handed him a spoon.

"Is that real dragon hide?" asked the god as he began working on the roof. "How'd you give it malleability without sacrificing structural integrity?"

"What?"

"What did you do to make it bendable without making soft like plain leather?" The god translated.

Artie explained the lengthy process as Hephaestus continued with his model.

"Not bad." commented the god. "Maybe I should have a word with those Party Ponies. If they can teach someone like you how to do that then one of my kids could do wonders."

"Someone like me, Lord Hephaestus?" Artie asked trying not sound disrespectful.

"You ain't one for building or making." said the god. "That's life. No one can do everything. My kids can't live off the land like you and I doubt you could change the oil on one of my automatons."

"True." Artie went to stand.

"Before you go." Hephaestus reached into his back pocket. "Take this."

The god of smithing laid a small mallet on the table. It was barely a foot long and had several rawhide cords keeping a stone head securely fastened to the handle. Normally Artie would have eyed the hammer with skeptically, but he knew better and placed in his belt, noticing it was a bit heavier than it should be.

"Thanks." Artie said again.

Artie walked around the party a bit more, snatching snacks here or their and refilling his goblet with different drinks to match what he was eating. He continued speaking with the gods, sometimes the sought him out, and receiving gifts. Hermes congratulated him on stealing a Golden Apple, carefully so no one over heard, and gave him a pair of leather gloves, a lock pick, and a swiss army knife. Demeter gave him a small lecture on the benefits of becoming a vegetarian and a pair of hatchets. Persephone, whom claimed she had snuck away from the Underworld while Hades was occupied, handed him a beautiful flower from her garden that would never wilt or die. Dionysus gave him a halfhearted congratulation on being stupid enough to fight a titan and lucky enough to survive before handing him a wineskin and went to join his wife Ariadne. Even Apollo, after his conversation with Jacob, gave his nephew a golden vest with six throwing knives and a slingshot with a pouch and a couple of things that he said were from goddesses that had a secret or two to keep, like fountain pen from Amphritrite.

Artie was about to take a seat when Artemis, Apollo,and Aphrodite, sought him out. Artie saw someone was standing behind them, but he didn't say anything.

"Here." Apollo pressed a small roll of breath mints into his hand. "Something tells me you're gonna need this." He winked. "Now excuse me. I need to have word with Muses."

Artie just stared at the mints before he remembered two goddesses were still in front of him.

"I must say, Artemis," teased Aphrodite. "You're certainly full of surprises lately."

"I'll admit this is rare for me." Artemis said coolly. "But do not get any ideas. I still plan to keep my vow."

"Can I ask what you two are talking about?"

"Oh, just someone your mother thought you might to see." Aphrodite winked. "I added a few touches of my own, but she didn't need much."

Artemis and Aphrodite stood aside to reveal someone Artie did want to see. In fact, now that she was standing in front him, he remembered how he had left her at Camp Half Blood. She had tried to stop him from hurting Zoë and if she hadn't, he might have. Like when they first kissed during the fireworks display at Camp Half Blood two years ago, she was wearing perfect make up and her hair had been perfectly styled. Instead of the t-shirt and jeans she normally wore at camp, she was wearing a lavender dress and matching shoes.

Before he knew it, Artie was wrapped in the tightest hug Appolonia had ever given him. Artie hesitated, shocked by her presence and the fact Artemis had played matchmaker, but returned the hug. He looked up to see Aphrodite smiling adoringly at the couple and Artemis seemed to be resisting the urge to do the same. Artie mouthed his thanks and the two goddesses left them.

When they parted, Apollonia traced the scar over his left eye. "Oh . . . what happened?"

Artie took her hands in his. "You should see the other guy."

"Really?"

"Let's just say it was someone else's turn for once." Artie said gently, but firmly. "I'll tell you later. I promise, but not now. Its almost Christmas."

"Okay." Appolonia gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "But you're not getting out of it."

"Speaking of Christmas," Artie reached into his belt. "Its early, but I don't think he'll mind."

"What are you — awwwww." Appolonia's eyes lit up. "He's adorable. Like a little tiger."

"Mew!" Diego squeaked as nuzzled Appolonia's neck.

"He is actually." Artie scratched behind Diago's ears. "A tiger."

"You're kidding." Appolonia giggled as she rubbed the cubs belly. "What did you do? Steal him from a zoo?"

"A Museum." Artie smirked. "You had no problem helping me. He won't be much different. Plus, you're going to need him."

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on," Artie led her to an empty balcony. "There's something I need to tell you."

* * *

An hour later, on a deserted balcony overlooking the city, Artie had explained everything — how and why Artemis created him, the prophecy he had to fufill, and how he planned to do it.

"So you mean the only reason you're here is because — "

"Yes." Artie said quietly. "But that doesn't change anything about us."

"And the only reason you lived like an animal was — "

"To prepare me for what was ahead." Artie sighed. "I don't like it, but it makes sense now."

"I'm coming with you." She sniffed.

"No, you;re not." Artie kissed her forehead. "That's why I'm giving you Diego. It won't be long before he grows up and you'll have your own saber tooth tiger."

"But why do you have to go?" she pleaded. "Why not send Percy or someone else?

"Atlas sent Thorn after me for a reason. To stop me from fulfilling the prophecy." Artie hugged her tightly. "If I don't go, he wins and Jacob's mother died for nothing. How could I do that to her?"

"Alright." Appolonia wiped her eyes. "I don't like it, but alright."

"People are going to notice." Artie looked down at her. He wasn't that much taller, but he still had to look down. "You can't tell anyone. They're going to say I ran away and hid. Or that I went to join the Titans. Let them say what they want. I wouldn't be surprised if Luke has spies at camp. They'll notice that I'm up to something and look for me, but they won't find me, not where I'll be."

"I won't tell anyone." she said. "I swear on the Styx."

"I promise you I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to." Artie bent down and gave a quick kiss on the lips. "But if being apart from you for a bit means bringing this war to quick end and we'll be safe together, then I can make do with that."

"Me too." Appolonia returned the kiss. "They won't what hit 'em."

"There you two are!" said a female voice.

Artie and Appolonia turned to see Annabeth and Percy smiling.

"Get your own balcony." Artie frowned. "How long have you been standing there?"

"We just got here." Percy assured. "Come on, he's calling for you."

"Who?" Appolonia looked to Artie. "Apollo?"

"No." Annabeth took Artie hand's and pulled back towards the party. "Your brother."

"Wait," Appolonia shrieked. "What?!"

"I'll explain on the way." Percy took Appolonia and lead her after Artie and Annabeth. "Long story short though, Artie's brother when he was in Rio is still alive."

Less than a minute later, Artie found every single eye on Mount Olympus staring as he entered as Annabeth pulled at his arm. He wasn't sure what was going on until Jacob's voice came over a loudspeaker. He saw that his brother was standing on the small stage with the Nine Muses, holding a microphone.

"There he is!" Jacob teased. "Seems like the king didn't take long picking a queen."

Even Artemis cracked a smile while others laughed.

"But seriously." Jacob smiled warmly. "I remember when we were two little rugrats just getting into harmless trouble. We were inseparable. Where you found one of us, you'd find the other." Jacob pointed to Artie. "While our mother said he was my shadow, I think it's safe to say that today, on his sixteenth birthday, she'd agreed with me that's not the case anymore." Jacob's voice cracked with emotion, but he quickly recovered. "In fact, there's a song I'd like to sing, in her memory, that I hope she hears. I want her to hear, and everyone else here, after nearly ten years apart the Gallezi brothers are back!"

Artie wiped his eyes as the crowded applauded.

"But I can't do it alone." Jacob looked to his brother. "What do you say, brother? Get up here and help me out."

_Now would be a great idea to take a mint_, Artie heard Apollo say in his head. _The menthol will help your voice from sounding scratchy_.

Artie made his way to the stage, popping a mint from the roll Apollo gave him. It melted in seconds and Artie felt his throat grow pleasantly warm just as he took the stage.

"Let's make her proud."." Jacob handed Artie a microphone. "Just like she used to say, _Sem música _. . .

"_Vida seria um erro_." Artie finished and turned the Nine Muses. "Would you be so kind ladies?"

"Since when does Artie sing?" Percy leaned and whispered in Annabeth's ear.

"Don't you remember, seaweed brain?" Annabeth smirked. "At the bus stop back when we got the master bolt?"

"Oh yeah." Percy said.

"You don't have to be a child of Apollo to sing and play music." Appolonia giggled as she petted Diego. "We're just better at it."

"And Artie?" Percy asked.

"The crowd at Yojimbo's didn't mind during karaoke night." Appolonia shrugged. "He won't go double platinum by any stretch, but no one is about to starting throwing tomatoes either."

"Karaoke?" Percy laughed. "You're kidding."

"Just shut and listen, seaweed brain." Annabeth nudged him. "Or you're up next singing Madonna."

Percy quickly buttoned his lip as the Nine Muses began playing. Unlike before, Percy guessed everyone was hearing the same thing rather than what they preferred like before. What he heard was what Chiron liked to listen to, a taste Artie shared, crooning swing.

Like it was rehearsed, or Apollo was helping Artie a great deal, the Gallezi brothers switched line back and forth. Artie began which Jacob followed with a line of his own before combining their voices for the final two lines.

_Like the wallpaper sticks to the wall_

_Like the seashore clings to the sea_

_Like you'll never get rid of your shadow, _

_Artie, you'll never get rid of me_

_Let all the others fight and fuss_

_Whatever happens . . . ._

_Weeeeee've gooooot uuuuusssss._

Without any visible signal, Artie continued sing as Jacob perfectly crooned along in perfect harmony. Percy couldn't help but notice how in synch they sound and he was almost sure Apollo was helping his nephew.

_(Meee and my shaaaaadoooow)_

_We're closer than pages that stick in a book_

_We're closer than ripples that play in a brook_

_(Strooolling doooown the aveeeenuuuuue)_

_Wherever you find him, you'll find me, just look_

_Closer than a miser or the bloodhound's to Liza_

Again with no signal, the brothers switched. Now Artie crooned while Jacob sang, the two throwing their arms around each other for the final line of the verse.

_(Meee and my shaaaaadoooow)_

_We're closer than smog when it clings to l.a._

_We're closer than bobby is to JFK_

_(Strooolling doooown the aveeeenuuuuue)_

_Not a soul can bust this team in two_

_We stick together like glue_

Percy felt the song coming to a big finish as Jacob and Artie switched once more, the last line louder and full of passion.

_(Meee and my shaaaaadoooow)_

_And now to repeat what I said at the start_

_They'll need a large crowbar to break us apart_

_Wee'rrre alone but faaaar frooooom bluuuuue_

Now the brothers were done switching and sang together_,_ thier voices in perfect harmony.

_Before we get finished, we'll make the town roar_

_We'll make all the late spots, and then a few more_

_We'll wind up at jilly's right after toot's shore_

_Life is gonna be we-wow-whee!_

_Foooor myyyyyy_

_Shaaaaadooooow and_

_Meeeeeeeeeee!_

The crowd roared with applause and cheers from both gods and demigods alike. The Gallezi took a few bows, but then Artie spoke and Percy couldn't help but laugh, as did everyone else.

"Say, Jacob?." Artie asked.

"What is it, Artie?"

"Do me a favor?"

"What do you want now?" Jacob demanded in mocked annoyance.

"Would you mind taking it just one more time?" Artie pretended to beg

"From the top?"

"No! From the ending!"

"Wonderful!" Jacob motioned the Mused. "Ladies?"

The music began again, but it was the big finish that everyone had heard just seconds ago. The brother threw an arm around each other again and sang for all they were worth and Percy was sure, deep in the Underworld, Maria Gallezi smiled at her sons finally reunited.

_And while we are swinging, to mention a few_

_We'll drop in at Danny's, The Little Club too_

_But wind up at Jilly's, whatever we do_

_Life is gonna be we-wow-whee!_

_Foooor myyyyyy_

_Shaaaaadooooow and_

_Meeeeeeeeeee!_

The music ended and again the crowd roared with applause and whistles.

"Jacob?" Artie asked. "I was thinking — "

"Oh forget it, Artie." Jacob pretended to snap.

"Alright." Artie shrugged.


	26. Epilogue

"Are you sure you have everything?" Appolonia asked.

"More or less." Artie adjusted his cloak.

"Couldn't you just take a plane?"

"How would I get all this pass the metal detectors?" Artie patted on of the leather bag on his motorcycle. "And if by some chance I get detained and end up on the news I might as well tell everyone where I'm going."

"What about food? Appolonia seemed unsure. "Don't you think you should take more than one backpack?"

"I'll be fine." Artie assured. "I'm used to skipping a meal or two. Tobias is coming with me. He can always throw me a fish if if I need a bite."

"And if something tries to take a bite out of you?"

"I'm used to that." Artie laughed. "But I'm thinking I should bring a gas tank and a rifle though."

"I'm serious." She reluctantly smiled. "This won't be like the jungle. You'll be out of your element."

"It'll only be for three days." Artie sighed. "I have to do this. You know that."

"I know, but couldn't you have waited a few more days?" Appolonia pleaded. "Christmas was only last night."

"And it was the best I've had in years." Artie said firmly. "But the list Athena gave me is only readable outside of the western hemisphere. I don't know where it'll take me and things might come up that'll take up time too. The more time I have the better." Artie mounted his bike. "Are you sure your parents won't mind putting Jacob up?"

"Are you kidding?" Appolonia smiled. "If there's one thing I;ve learned about him, its he knows how to charm his way around people. I'd swear on the Styx he was one of Aphrodite's if I didn't know any better."

"Good." Artie nodded. "Between him and Diego, you should be safe." Artie frowned and looked at the fllor. "Wasn't he just here?"

"Mew!" Diego poked his head out of a bag, a piece of jerky in his mouth.

"He wants to come." Appolonia plucked him up and scratched behind his ears. "Can't say I blame him."

"I need you to stay." Artie said gently and bent to look the young cub. "I need you to keep here safe while I'm away." Artie reached a hand scratched under his chin. "Can you do that?"

"Mew!" Diego made a motion that oddly looked like a salute.

"Good."

Artie looked out to the sea with reluctance. Like Appolonia had said, Christmas had only been last night, a few hours if he was exact. He had given Appolonia's mother, Maria, a set of sandals to match her new purse he had made her. Her father, Bruno, had loved the leather jacket and alligator boots. And Appolonia grandmother, Rosa, had simply adored the genuine mink scarf he had traded for at a market for.

After the party on Mount Olympus, Artie and Appolonia left for Florida. Not wanting Artie's only family to spend the holidays alone, Appolonia invited Jacob along and they welcomed him with open arms. Together, they opened presents, had Christmas dinner, swapped and laughed at funny stories, and watched Christmas specials. For a few hours, Artie put out of his mind of everything he had gone through in the past few days and what lay ahead, as did Jacob.

But when everyone had fallen asleep, with their bellies full of food and their hearts with cheer, Jacob and Artie shared a toast to Maria Gallezi and Zoë Nightshade.

"Tell him I'm sorry." Artie said gently.

"Tell who what?" asked a voice.

Artie and Appolonia turned to see Jacob Gallezi, smiling slyly with small backpack over a shoulder. He was dressed in his long leather duster, buttoned up against the cold, with thick blue jeans and boots. He had tied his hair back into a pony tail and was wearing a pair of sunglasses.

"I figured you'd try to leave without me." Jacob said as he walked up and set his backpack on the only spot left on Artie's bike. "I'm not letting you have all the fun."

"Go back, Jacob." Artie said firmly. "I'm going at this alone."

"Of course you are." said Jacob cheerfully as he mounted the bike behind Artie. "And I'm coming with you."

"Jacob, I — "

"Could give twenty good reasons for why I should stay." Jacob laid a hand on his shoulder. "But there ain't a one that's gonna change my mind. So either throw me off this bike, if you can, or shut up and drive."

Artie looked to Appolonia who nodded.

"Alright." Artie grumbled. "But if this turns into that trip Brasilia mom took us when we were little, you're swimming home with an anchor tied your legs."

"What happened?" Appolonia asked.

"It two was two hours of ' I have to use the bathroom, I'm hungry, I'm bored.' I almost threw him out of the car myself." Artie sighed. "Not to mention 'Are we there yet?' every two minutes."

"Oh come on." Jacob protested. "You should know how it is for us demigods with ADD."

"I should, but I don't." Artie said annoyingly. "Mostly because I don't have ADD."

"Lucky." Jacob said.

"Hardly." Artie countered.

"So this sibling rivalry." Appolonia smiled. "Glad I'm an only child."

"Don't rub it in." Artie hid a smile.

"Yeah," Jacob added. "I might just stay."

"Forget I said anything." Appolonia kissed Jacob on cheek before giving Artie one on the lips. "Artie?"

"Yes?"

"Come back with your shield." She ordered. "Or on it."


End file.
